At its first meeting of the year, the Art Club is kicking off an exciting new season as it unveils plans to not only create art but also build a safe and welcoming space for students, emphasizing connection, creativity and mental health.
The Art Club’s mission goes beyond creating art. It’s about forming a community where students connect and unwind after school. Through workshops and collaborative projects, they relieve stress and support their mental health. The club provides a safe space for students to engage in art activities.
Art Club advisor, Amy Holte, shares her perspective and excitement on the first club meeting that took place on Sept. 10.
“It was really fun to play with sea glass on that first day,” Holte said. “Our club is meant to be kind of a safe place for people, just to get to have a community, or we just get to do an art piece of craft.”
In the first meeting, students were assigned to create scenes using sea glass. They applied their ideas and imaginations onto a simple piece of paper, turning them into unique pieces of artwork.
Holte emphasized how the Art Club fosters connection and creativity, describing it as a welcoming space for students to bond and relax.
Freshman Larissa Laureano shared how the meeting made her feel.
“I felt very nice in that club; it felt very magical. I felt included, and it was really welcoming. A memorable thing was the students. They were all participating and collaborating with each other, they were all focused on their projects,” Laureano said.
Even though this was Laureano’s first Art Club meeting, her experience shows that anyone can stop by and feel welcomed.
While students worked on their creations, they also experienced connections and bond with the community. Holte explained how the club fosters a welcoming environment for students to bond and relieve stress
“It’s not about beauty, it’s not about perfection. It’s much more about just the community and enjoying each other’s company while doing a little bit of art to kind of mellow out your mental health,” Holte said.
Holte reassures that art is not about beauty and perfection, but finding relaxation to relieve any stress, aiding with mental health and unity in our community.
Talking about community, Holte unveils an upcoming plan relevant to our community. An activity in the Art Club that hasn’t been done before.
“We partnered with a group that has student artists create portraits of Syrian refugees, so kids in Syria, and we are going to be creating portraits of those kids, and then sending them to them as a gift,” Holte said.
As revealed, the Art Club is collaborating with a group of artists, so be on the lookout for this activity at some point in the future.
As excitement builds up, the Art Club is not only partnering with the group of artists, but as well as Ryman Arts. Here’s a quick explanation of what it does for students.
“It is a pathway for a lot of kids who want to do animation. They connect them to some real world careers and opportunities, scholarships and it’s completely free, students get like a whole bunch of art supplies just by getting accepted,” Holte said.
Whether you’re an experienced artist or just looking for a space to relax, everyone is welcome to join. Art Club meets every other Wednesday from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in B-17. For anyone who’s interested in the Ryman Arts program, it’s posted on the opportunities page.
