(Kyla Ahn)
The National Art Honor Society (NAHS) introduced new artwork on campus by painting the manhole covers in the courtyard behind the main building. From November through mid-March, the club worked to brighten the campus with original designs.
The murals were designed to bring a playful and engaging atmosphere to younger students. “Mr. Jolly requested the specific location since elementary kids pass around that place often. He wanted something fun for them to see,” main designer freshman Stella Kwon said.
The project required a detailed, multi-step process and dedication from every artist. “We first start by outlining with a pencil. Then we mark the numbers of the colors, and we [make] all the colors. After that, we paint, and once we’re done, we varnish it,” NAHS webmaster senior Brian Cho said.
The final design combines school spirit with imaginative visual elements. “One is the fox going inside with the head peeking out of the hole, and the other is a tail sticking out. [Mr. Jolly] requested an optical illusion for the kids, and I decided to incorporate our mascot, Glider. I thought [the hole] was a playful idea since I wanted to connect those two manholes. ” Kwon said.
However, bringing the concept to life proved more challenging than members initially expected. “[It] took four or five months just to figure out how to do the optical illusion, since we’d never done it before. We went through a lot of trial and error—It wasn’t as simple as we thought,” senior Niha Banerjee said.
(Kyla Ahn)
Unpredictable weather conditions created another major obstacle and delayed the project’s completion. “We never thought the rain would ruin everything. We thought that if we varnish it, it would stay safe. We had to start from scratch five times. We would have finished two months ago without the rain,” Banerjee said.
Despite their efforts to protect the murals, the members struggled to prevent water damage. “We used to put our aprons, plastic or rocks to make sure water doesn’t seep in, but it still did,” Banerjee said.
Eventually, the group requested a waterproof tent from school administrators to help them finish the murals. “We borrowed a big booth that we usually use during the Community Festa. We placed that above the mural,” Cho said.
After officially completing the project on March 17, NAHS hopes the murals will foster a stronger sense of belonging on campus. “I love art—it’s a way for the community to be together,” Banerjee said.
