Mural helps showcase ceramics students’ talents

If you take a walk down the pathway between 200 and 300 halls, you can’t miss the most recent addition to the brightly colored mosaic mural recently finished by the ceramics classes. Ceramics teacher Jennifer Jervis decided to begin this year’s mosaic with the theme “birds and bugs,” and gave her students the freedom to interpret it however they chose, realizing that her vision for the mosaic wouldn’t necessarily turn out in the end product.

“I never know what I will get until everything is done,” said Jervis. “ Everyone’s creative vision is in the piece.”

Students began creating their pieces in October. After all the individual pieces in the mural have been glazed and fired, the classes begin the task of organizing the pieces and assembling them into a unified design.

The process of arranging the pieces is slightly different every year, and this year Jervis and her students were focused on creating interesting visual pathway movements rather than simply organizing pieces by approximate size and shape.

Jervis began the mosaics two years ago with an ocean theme, hoping to “bring a pop of color” to the dull beige hallways and give her students the opportunity to showcase their work.

“I wanted to make the students’ artwork more visible and permanent,” said Jervis. “It shows what the students are learning and lets them leave their mark on the school.”

Senior Karen Chaw expressed her enthusiasm for the idea.

“I really liked it and I think it’s really cool that something I made will be a part of the school forever,” said Chaw.

Although specific plans for next year’s mural is not yet in place, Jervis definitely intends to continue the project.