If you’ve kept a sharp eye, you may have noticed the new girl reading books outside the library, or the Pokémon ball that popped up on the backside of the G building or maybe even the fried egg near the cafeteria. These icons have not appeared by themselves; they were created by the hands of a select few dedicated and talented art students at our school. During the late weeks of October and early November, AP Art teacher Mr. Alex Nelson and his AP Art students have taken to the campus with creative designs and beautiful illustrations to add more artistry to West High.

Inspired by an art conference he went to last spring, Nelson wanted to incorporate his students’ artwork in a more public setting. “It would be way cooler if more people saw their art… the campus needs more art,” said Nelson. The images are made of vinyl tape, a medium similar to that of electrician’s tape, in mostly solid colors that make the art pop on the beige pillars. By using the tape, the students are able to take down the images whenever they’d like and work on new ones without leaving any residue.

Senior Macy Ballard spent two hours a day for two weeks designing, preparing and creating the Obey star that is outside the AP Art classroom G1. “I love what the Obey brand represents, which is diversity and doing your own thing,” said Ballard. “Having most of the kids at West seeing that on a daily basis makes me happy.”

Junior Caitlin O’Neil also made her contribution outside the library; O’Neil helped make the silhouette image of the girl with her nose stuck in a book. “We decided to create the pictures for school beautification and to showcase our art,” said O’Neil. This icon took O’Neil about four weeks to finish, an icon that resembles the library and shows the love and appreciation West has for its librarians, our book selection and its quiet place dedicated to reading.

With two to three art students working on each icon, the AP Art class did their part to add more creativity, imagination and art to the West High School campus. By leaving these images around the school, the artists have given the campus a piece of their work that can be admired and appreciated by the students who see it.