-
Engaged Elena Xiao ’27 paints her friend, Livia Xu ’27. While most participants traced pictures onto watercolor paper, Xiao freehanded the drawing, showcasing her impressive artistic ability.
-
Polishing a masterpiece, Savannah George ’29 uses a white acrylic marker for the finishing touches of her dog. George used white to highlight her dog’s ecstatic expression.
-
In the making, Morgan Darling ’29 uses pastel blue to shade her painting. Darling used watercolor pastels to replicate the silken texture of the cat’s fur.
Surrounded by colorful watercolors and drawing supplies, artists and animal enthusiasts united at the front of the library to paint pets and animals, organized by Co-Librarians Lauren Kluck and KatieAnn Prescott, on Friday, Feb. 20, during Flex and both lunches.
“[February 20] is Love Your Pet Day, and [Ms. Prescott and I] wanted to do something that would be fun,” Ms. Kluck said. “Everyone that has a pet loves their pet, so we found this video online and thought it would be something that students would enjoy doing. It’s been very fun. [Students] have been doing a very good job.”
Not only was the Flex session filled to maximum capacity, but the library also had students stay during lunch to finish their paintings. Many art classes also participated in the activity.
“I think it’s always just fun to see how creative people are,” Ms. Kluck said. “Everyone does something different, and everyone turns out with something that is equally amazing and interesting. Because it’s their pet, it’s a painting of something that they love. That’s always fun to see as they’re trying to do different things.”
Students utilized unconventional colors from a distinctive art style called Pop art to make their pets stand out. The Pop art style is characterized by bold colors that transform simple pictures into extraordinary artworks.
“Since it was supposed to be a Pop art style, I wanted to [paint] it unrealistic[ally], and I thought [purple and blue would] go really well together,” Morgan Darling ‘29 said.
While painting their furry friends, students bonded with librarians and participating students over their common love for their pets.
“I think it’s always fun to get together with people who also like the same things,” Ms. Kluck said. “If you’re a pet person, you will like other people’s pets too, and it’s fun to talk about your pets and show off your pets.”
The librarians hosted the event in hopes of providing students with a much-needed break away from academics. With maximum attendance, Ms. Kluck and Ms. Prescott hoped to provide students with an outlet for relaxation and creativity.
“I think it’s something different,” Ms. Kluck said. “It’s something that isn’t homework-related, so they get a little bit of a break. It has to do with something that they love, and maybe they would hang it up at home and bring them some joy when they look at it.”
