Striving for Excellence

Striving for Excellence is a collaborative art project between the Walls of Wittenberg, Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School and artists Jordan Innes and Laura Hunt.

Over the course of five weeks, eight high school students from Sandra Lawson’s Advanced Art Class collaborated with Jordan and Laura on ideas and sketches based on the high school’s mission statement: “Striving for Excellence in Education.”  The artists and students presented their final sketch for approval by the WOW Board and the School Board. Under the artistic direction of Jordan Innes, Ms. Lawson and the students of WBHS painted the mural on dibond panels in the school's Agriculture room.  The entire process -- from conceptualization to sketching to painting -- was collaborative. Students with special skills joined the final sketching and painting process, and there was one week of open painting for any interested student to participate.
 
The resulting mural reflects the diverse backgrounds and ideas of the students and community in youthful, energetic, and colorful images.  Stylistically the mural mimics the notebook sketches, doodles, scribbles and playful graphic dalliances of creative youth and places it in the high contrast context of a school blackboard.  To achieve the chalkboard effect the artists used a variety of unique techniques and tools including stipple brushes, sea sponges, dull flat paints, tile grout, graffiti paint sticks, and sand paper. Playful and capricious, the final mural reflects the vibrancy of the local youth and their commitment to excellence in a wide range of disciplines represented at their school – arts, sciences, mathematics, athletics, and trades. 

The students from Sandi Lawson’s 2012 Art IV Class who contributed to the mural project were:  Brittany Alwes, Zach Baumann, Felicia Bernarde, Danika Decorah, Jesse Mieska, Ashlee Slagoski, Leah Vosters, and Kyle Wincentsen.

Slideshow of the 2012 Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School Mural Project: Striving for Excellence.
Started in class in March 30, 2012 completed and installed on June 5, 2012.
Featuring Jordan Innes, Sandra Lawson, the Art 4 class and many other talented WBHS student artists.

Click link to view the photo slideshow:

Striving for Excellence Video