Collaborative creativity: student artists leave their mark on Colonial Middle School

A blank wall recently became a canvas for students in the Colonial Middle School Art Club. Using a drawing by now Plymouth Whitemarsh High School ninth grader Lily Knaggs and tips from visiting mural artist Kim Robbins, the team of artists have left their mark in the new school with a mural promoting the school store.

“It makes me feel proud that we started with nothing but a wall and a drawing, and we got to make it into our own piece of art,” said eighth grader Mia Mascaro.

Mrs. Robbins taught the young artists many things to consider when painting a mural, including visual flow, lighting, viewing distance, and depth. The students learned how to mix colors, as well as different blending and layering techniques, to make sure that the most important elements were also the most easy to see.

“My favorite part was doing the detail work, like shading and outlines,” said eighth grader Julia Sacco. “I loved working with Mrs. Robbins. She was very helpful.”

Colonial Middle school art teachers Julie Horwitz and Traci Rovinsky plan to continue to find outlets around the building for the Art Club to use their talents in practical ways. “My favorite part of the mural project was watching the students connect with each other and Kim Robbins as they painted," said Mrs. Rovinsky. "I saw my students become invested in something larger than themselves.”

The design process started during the 2023-2024 school year. Students involved in the project include: Allayna D'Amico, Grace Hahn, Lily Knaggs, Sofia Man, Eleanor Paluszka, Moira Pearson, Claire Reed, Julia Sacco, and Paytyn Struzek.