About a dozen of Mrs. Elizabeth Patteson’s high school art students recently wrapped up work on their submissions for Livingston County’s Inspirations Trail, a public arts display that will showcase amateur and professional artists’ works in each of the county’s nine villages.
Patteson’s students’ works will be displayed in business storefronts as part of the trail’s Sidewalk Showcase. Students drew on quotes or song lyrics to inspire their artworks, which they painted on 2-foot by 2-foot wooden panels.
For her piece, junior Emily B. was inspired by the 2010 film, “Tangled,” Disney’s take on the classic Rapunzel fairy tale.
Emily’s painting makes use of iconic scenes and images from the movie - like the sky full of floating lanterns Rapunzel longs to see up close and in person and the flower, sprouted from a drop of sunlight, that gives Rapunzel her magical healing powers. The quote that accompanies her painted images - “Go live your dream,” - is also pulled from the film, said Emily.
“My main focal point is actually the flower,” said Emily. “I put the main flower in the middle and made it really big and then I have water on the bottom with a boat and then lanterns flowing from one side to the next.”
While Emily drew on existing source material for her quote, junior Gretta P. made one up.
Gretta’s quote - “Let your mind grow,” - is mirrored in their painting, which was inspired by a series of paintings by a friend’s older sibling Gretta saw a few years ago.
“A few years back I saw a painting… of a man in a tux and instead of the neck, in the shirt hole where the head would be, it was just a plant,” said Gretta. “They did many of those and they were all really cool looking.”
Gretta said they were drawn to the paintings’ subject matter and what it suggests.
“It’s to just encourage the idea of being abstract, giving yourself room to have your own thoughts, not trying to think any specific way to appeal to others,” they said. “Just letting yourself take your own artistic view on things.”
A self-professed “big fan of nature,” the paintings’ use of plants and flowers was also appealing, said Gretta.
“I love plants, I love painting and drawing plants… and you can put so many meanings to them if you want to put a meaning to it,” they said. “Plus, they’re a lot easier to paint than a face.”
Inspirations Trail is a 90-mile route of public art displays that stretch the length and breadth of Livingston County.
The intent behind the trail is to bring public art to the people of Livingston County and enhance the quality of life of residents and visitors to the downtown districts of each of the county’s nine villages, said Louise Wadsworth, downtown coordinator for Livingston County Economic Development.
“The idea is people would walk up and down the street and be inspired by the different local artists’ interpretations of inspirational words or quotes,” said Wadsworth. “I think it’ll really be fun to see what everybody has picked as the inspirational words they want to portray, to see what the students put out.”
Avon students’ works, along with 100 or so others created by amateur artists from across the county, will be placed on display for the month of July to coincide with the county’s Mural Festival, for which nine professional artists will create large murals on the exteriors of buildings in the county’s nine villages.
Emily admitted she’s a little nervous for her painting to be on display in such a public setting, but is also excited for people to see what she can do.
“I don’t really like my artwork being anywhere because it’s personal to me but I chose to do it,” she said. “I think it’s pretty cool how it gets displayed everywhere.”
Gretta hopes passersby have two reactions upon viewing their work.
“One, I hope they think it's pretty. I hope they like it,” they said. “Second, I hope they get the same feeling I got when I first looked at something like that, like ‘Oh, that’s such a cool take on something.’ Especially with the quote along with it, I hope they can connect the dots there, ‘Let your mind grow.’ I just hope that’s in a little corner of their mind when they walk away.”
Other Avon students creating artworks for the trail are Sibyl C., Gabbie K., Mikaela E., Josephine V., Joleigh C., Carmen P., Adrianne B., Abby S. and Olivia P.
For more information about the Inspirations Trail, click here.
Gretta P. works on their painting for the upcoming Sidewalk Showcase.
Gabbie K. works on her painting for the Sidewalk Showcase.
A better view of Gabbie K.'s Sidewalk Showcase painting.
Mikaela E. works on her painting for the Sidewalk Showcase.
Adrianne B. works on her painting for the Sidewalk Showcase.
Josephine V. works on her Sidewalk Showcase painting during a recent art class.
Emily B. works on her Sidewalk Showcase painting, which was inspired by the 2010 Disney film, “Tangled.”
Joleigh C. works on her painting for the Sidewalk Showcase.
Mrs. Elizabeth Patteson’s art students pose with the paintings they’re creating for the Sidewalk Showcase. Their artworks will be displayed alongside other amateur artists’ submissions in business storefronts in Livingston County’s downtown districts throughout the month of July.