Senior Commercial Arts students, Harley McQuiston and Kaitlyn Murdock, decided to paint a mural of two pink pigs in the CA room to etch their mark for future CA students to come. “Painting is how we express ourselves," remarks Harley McQuiston. Kaitlyn adds, "It's a part of who we are."
It's quite a simple painting, some might say, but it took days to finish. From an initial drawing, to painting the pigs on the wall, to getting the right color pink for the pigs themselves, the end-result is a work of pride.
Painting, for CA kids, is even more enjoyable than what it might be for the average person because it incorporates their passion with their future careers; they take pride in every single creative project they do. The challenge to ensure that all they do is considered works of art -- it's who they are. Commercial Arts is more than your average art class.
Our commercial arts students take pride, and ensure that all they do is incredible -- aMAZing -- OUTSTANDING! Harley and Kaitlyn take great pride in their project; the process of creating and finishing a mural is a great accomplishment. Creating a project that will last for decades to come is an honor; after all, CA's motto is: Once a CA kid, always a CA kid. The two said, "It's good to know future CA kids will get to see all that we have done and soon, they will be able to do the same."
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CAREER CONNECTION: We asked Mr. Cole, CA instructor, a few follow-up questions to support this article; we share with you his response:
Why Commercial Art? The commercial artist is the cutting edge of the entire art world. He marries hard technology and soft paint, transposes a thought into a three story picture, all the while, shifting and changing his styles to trends and taste that are smashing against cultures’ shore like madding waves.
Your students have contributed to the community in several ways over the years – most recently at the Confluence in Downtown New Castle. What skills can those students, your current students take with them, no matter where they go? Take the mural artist; he is commissioned to cover a large area with a picture that will refresh and rejuvenate a building. He sketches ideas, has dozens of meetings with the proprietor about concepts, colors and ideas until one is mutually agreed upon. Then mathematics rears its ugly head, demanding huge proportions of perspectives and laws of physics with calculations that are all working together to defy gravity. He graphs, he climbs, with plumb lines and chalk he snaps out the foundation that soon will wear his paint. Up, down, up, down, up he climbs again knowing that the only way to measure human reaction is to plant himself where from it will be viewed. It is a physically demanding occupation and a well-compensated one. Finally, the last stroke is put in place along with the math, the economics, work ethics, historic research, and engineering. The viewer never realizes all the parts it took to make something which was meant to just make you smile.
What new projects do you have in the works? The Commercial
Art and Computer and Office Technology shops will be creating a collaborative
project in making the set pieces for the original Pop Opera Katherina Von
Bora opening at Westminster on November 7th.
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"Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful; make a moment a memory." ~ Presley Boots
Although senior Commercial Arts student, Presley Boots, has dedicated herself to her shop, she has decided to further her dream beyond the artsy part of her life. Ever since she was little, she has always had a close bond with every animal she's laid eyes upon. Presley has always known that she wanted to be a Veterinary Technician. After graduation, Presley will further dream of being a Vet Tech at Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA. In her spare time, you can most likely find Presley working her part-time job at Dairy Queen, spending quality time with those she loves, or hanging out with her pets..
