They’re not all artists, but you’d never know it from this masterpiece!
A group project, each square was individually painted by a member of the Grayson County High School junior WIN enrichment class. It will soon go on display in the Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center (OHTLMC) as part of the Arts in Healing program. Hospital Marketing Specialist Andria McGregor joined students, GCHS art teacher Beverly Dowell, and principal Lacy Cox for the unveiling and presentation.
The GCHS/OHTLMC partnership is in its second year as the first series of artwork – still life images and Picasso interpretations – were hung last fall.
This year the class selected a group project, but with an individual twist.
Knowing the hospital wanted to display some bigger pieces, art teacher Dowell’s mind turned to the popular quilt blocks seen dotting the landscape in recent years. The project also had to be simple enough to complete in the three-week WIN period.
Students all want to create their own designs, so Dowell and Project Designer Norea Watson, a junior, selected a very limited, cool-toned color palette to unify the look of the finished piece.
The cool tones were selected “because they’re calming and soothing and since it’s bigger in size, we wanted that feel for the first piece,” Dowell said.
Dowell had high praise for the students’ work and their approach to it, especially since the project was taken on as an enrichment class, not art. And many of the participants are not art students themselves.
“Knowing this piece was going to be publicly displayed, they really put a lot of care and consideration into their designs,” she said.
Senior Jordan Grant provided coordination for the overall project and will continue in that role throughout the year. Special thanks go out to Future Designs Building Materials for providing project materials to bring the finished product to life.
Upcoming WIN classes will add their own twist to new displays to be added to the original. A warm palette will be used for the next piece, but reflect more fall tones to maintain the calm, cozy feel, Dowell explained.
Arts in Healing
This piece was created by the following Grayson County High School Juniors in a WIN Enrichment class, August 2023:
Karris Babb
Lilly Kane
Isabel Blanton
Payton Lowe
Jayleigh Bocock
Emily Mercer
Merri Ellen Bratcher
Abigail Pennington
Zak Bratcher Eva Pierce
Houston Brooks
Gracie Portman
Tate Cain
Tyler Portman
Kierson Chambers
Abigail Ray
Karla Childress
Hayden Robinson
Axel Cook
Katlyn Stevenson
Kinley Cook
Bailey Tilford
Averi Decker
Norea Watson
Hunter Higdon
Breanna Whobrey
Kenleigh Hodges
Kevin Zachary, Jr.
Thank you to the following for their major impact on this project: Norea Watson — GCHS junior and Project Designer: Jordan Grant — GCHS senior and Project Assembler: Beverly Dowell, GCHS Art Teacher and Project Facilitator: Future Designs Building Materials — Donation of materials.
Submitted by Grayson County Schools
