Dec. 22, 2020 -- Heights High art students are adding a bit of beauty to the world during the coronavirus pandemic. Studio art teachers Laura Skehan and Nancy Rich partnered with community leaders from the Millikin neighborhood to create murals to adorn the side of the old school building near what is now a well-used playground and park.
In an attempt to create a long-lasting mural that could withstand Cleveland’s erratic weather, the neighborhood committee researched options and finally settled on a digital printing process using high-resolution photos of student art work that would be installed like giant sheets of contact paper.
All the students in Ms. Shekan and Ms. Rich’s studio art classes submitted artwork that represented neighborhood vibrancy and diversity. Eleven standout designs were chosen for installation. With help from the Cleveland Institute of Art and funding from both individual neighbors and Future Heights Neighborhood Connection, the images were transferred to the printable aluminum-based substance and then installed in a neighborhood ceremony in early November.
Some of the art students attended the installation, including junior Thalia Lisowski whose image of a girl measuring the height of a giant flower was included in the mural. “I wanted my piece to be pretty simple,” said Thalia, “and to center around a child’s own evaluation of their growth, of who they are or who they can become within their community.”
She was pleased to meet the Millikin community members who worked to install the mural and hopes it will have a positive impact on all who see it, especially children. “Knowing how influential art can be for young kids, I was inspired by my own experiences growing up in the Heights with art easily visible throughout local parks and neighborhoods.”