Community Art Mural Oct.2/3

Rebekah Nelson

More stories from Rebekah Nelson

Field Day
May 12, 2019
Mr.Olais helps senior Lylia Fernandez safely climb the ladder onto the lift.

The NHS art club and community collaborated together in creating the newest addition downtown. On the east wall of Hair Cutting Co on 5th street, one can see the creation of 10 students and many community members of a bright blue sky and a field of sunflowers. Battling with sports and extracurricular activities students mainly work on the mural in the evenings when they have some spare time.

“I just wanted to be apart of something that the town needs…and that the people will look at,” senior David Hernandez said. “This is a beautiful mural and I like being apart of it…with Mr. O and my friends”

The whole design started out by an idea given to former art teacher Raymond Olais by the building owner, a simple sunflower drawing. Olais then gave the drawing to his students in all his art classes last year, the winning design would be the one painted on the building. The owner ended up loving all of them and couldn’t pick just one…inspiring the idea of a sunflower field. When it comes to who gets to paint what, the community painted the sky and students get to paint the flower that they designed for the original idea.

Although planning process started over a year ago, Olais wanted to wait until retirement until taking on the project. Olais has taken a step back from being the creator and is letting the piece of art mainly be led by the students.

“I would probably just say watching the kids [has been my favorite part so far.] I’ve done enough big paintings and big murals to appreciate it, but it’s kind of more fun when you see them enjoy it and take ownership of it,” Olais said. “I mean they can come around and say I did that, I did that.

The mural is projected to be finished by the end of October and to last on the building around 5-7 years. Plans for more murals around town are in the near future.