The variety of colorful murals throughout the campus has long since been a trademark of the school landscape, showcasing the creativity and artistic talent of students.
The first campus mural was painted in the 1990s, dedicated to the drama building near the gym; it was painted by a professional mural company hired by the school. Since then, 11 more full-wall murals have emerged across campus. From the iconic drama mural at the front of the school to the “Beloved” mural near the science buildings, these artworks brighten the campus, adding their unique touch of color and meaning.
The most recent mural project, one for the Journalism Room (Room 303), is being led by junior Nicole Hao.
Hao first got the idea to paint a mural for the room in March. She began with an initial design that highlighted free speech and the many processes that are gone through to create the school newspaper, without regard to dimensions.
“I wanted this mural to convey the importance of journalism within the school, the importance of free speech in America and the importance of the student voice and our school community,” Hao said.
A few months later, Hao would send a mockup and other drafts to newspaper adviser Michael Tyler before continuing to brainstorm and make revisions. Discussions about the design and visuals were also sent through the SHS Art Club Discord, which Hao is the president of. Club members suggested various compositions and ideas for the mural, and also gave their advice and opinions on any visuals Hao sent. A few months later, Hao pitched a more finalized design to assistant principal Matt Torrens and other staff members to get the idea approved.
“Getting the project underway was super nice, especially because Mr. Tyler was a huge help through all of it,” Hao said.
The final design of the mural is split into three sectors, representing the three steps student journalists take to create a publication. The upper right section represents the process behind the creation of content, showing students interviewing, brainstorming and producing the layouts using apps such as Adobe InDesign and Adobe Photoshop. The middle section, featuring a falcon, represents the distribution process. The final sector in the bottom left depicts the audience, reading and discussing the final product.
Unlike the initial draft, the final design also features a background made of various brightly-colored squares, which brings lots of color into the mural and references the pixels of digital designs used to create the newspaper magazine.
The mural is also unique in that it takes place on the corner of a building, whereas all other murals on campus have been painted on flat walls. The corner placement gives the mural a more dynamic quality, allowing it to be seen from multiple angles and the back parking lot.
Since the finalization of the idea, announcements about the project have been made through the SHS Art Club Discord server. The server currently boasts 93 members, 44 of whom have shown interest in the project. The mural has also been advertised through various posters on campus.
The project not only gives students a unique opportunity to be a part of beautifying the campus, but to also take part in something bigger than themselves and gain volunteer hours along the way.
The mural’s first painting session was hosted on Oct. 27, when 15 students throughout the day taped down the painted area and laid down two layers of primer to prepare the walls. While painting sessions were temporarily suspended due to a paint spill in early November, sessions have since started again.
For students who wish to contribute to the project, the most recent link for the SHS Art Club Discord server can be found here, where painting session RSVPs are posted before each session. Students are advised to bring clothes they won’t mind getting paint on. The mural is estimated to be completed sometime in the spring.
