Toward the end of the 2023-2024 school year, students taking part in AP art classes got together after AP testing to paint a mural, which was recently put on display at the top of the main staircase in the Leonard H. Vogel Gallery at the high school.
“When I was walking to class and saw a new mural, I was surprised but thought it was a great decoration to our hallways,” student Kate Lyons said. “I think we need more artwork in our hallways like this piece.”
It took a village of talented AP art students, including Class of 2024 grads and current RHS seniors, to bring the mural to life. The Class of 2024 art students who worked on the project are Amelia Diaz, Sonya Gedzior, Tyler Glidden, Brandon Ghahary, Matt Hitland, Cameron Longa, Saoirse Nielsen, Priyasha Pal and Emma Underwood Pozzobon. The current RHS seniors who also contributed their talent are Nicole Amato, Mia Ball and Sofie Hagadorn,
When assigning this piece, the art teachers in charge gave full freedom to the students who took part in creating it.
“The kids just made things up on the way,” said Steve Coleman, the teacher advisor on the project. “They would ask to add all this cool stuff, and in the end it all came together.”
The mural project was not only a chance for the students to create something new for the school, but it was also a way for the students to express their creativity with no limits being placed on them.
“The piece was very fun to work on,” art student Mia Ball said. “I’m glad that we got the opportunity to make a piece because it is a cool piece. I’m also glad that we got to work together and create a beautiful masterpiece.”
This project came together through a lot of hard work and effort. The art students started the mural last year, in May of 2024, and it took about a month to complete, with the artists making the finishing touches during the last few days of school.
The creative freedom and fun the kids experienced during this project is reflected in the mural by the students adding not only features that represent school spirit but also personal items that they included to represent themselves.
“There was no specific meaning behind this piece,” Coleman said. “However, the kids had fun with it. If you really look, there are all sorts of little Easter eggs all over; it really is awesome.” For example, the art features a ram to represent the school mascot but also items that are personal to each artist.
“I feel like the piece embodies the sense of community and journey that RHS stands for,” art student Priyasha Pal explained. “There is such whimsicality and subtle and not-so-subtle duality in the piece; every time you look at it, you see something different.”
Stay tuned for the annual junior and senior art shows at the end of the school year, when many of these talented RHS students will put their new work on display.
