REEDSPORT, Ore. — A resident artist from Montana, staying on the South Coast, helped local students with limited access to the arts paint a 20-foot mural inside Highland Elementary School.
According to the school’s vice principal, Missy Watts, the elementary school doesn’t have an art class, so they look for outside sources and opportunities to bring art back to the students.
“Our kids are not exposed to art. We do not have an art teacher in house, so everything we have to do is community based, and our community is very strong and we have very deep roots so we’re so proud to bring all this art — with the help of Emily — to Highland Elementary School,” Watts said.
In place of art classes, the school works with the Oregon Coast School of Art (OCSA) in Gardiner to bring in professional artists for students.
OCSA’s Executive Director, Emily Wilson, says the idea to paint the mural in the school came from an artist from Montana named Paul Blumenthal, who has been painting since he was a child.
“I’ve been painting more the last 20 to 30 years and I’m here as an artist and resident at the Oregon Coast School of Art for a month and this part of a volunteer thing I do,” said Blumenthal.
When Blumenthal isn’t painting he works as an architect and project manager in Montana.
This isn’t the school’s first mural, and has worked with professional artists in the past.
“The art school with their artists and residents, these are very famous people who are painting and creating their art professionally, and giving up their opportunity to sell art and make a living to support kids and show kids how to appreciate art,” said Highland Elementary School superintendent and Principal Jon Cwemke.
Principal Cwemke says he looks forward to adding even more art to the school in the future.
