BY KYLEIGH SPRIGLE
Students at CCHS are painting a mural as a tribute to English teacher Nicole Hobin. Before the beginning of the school year, Hobin passed away in a fatal motorcycle accident. Juniors Lillie Biegner and Tyler Rodriguez are painting a unicorn in the Zen garden in her honor.
The mural is based off of a unicorn painting Hobin had received from a student a couple years ago. The student artists will be using blues, lavenders and light pinks to create the piece.
“Hobin loved unicorns,” Biegner said. “We got a photograph of that painting from Mrs. Patterson. They were really close friends so I based it off [of] that.”
Much of the money that Interact Club raised last school year is being put toward this project.
Biegner was picked to be the muralist by the president of Interact Club. Though she has never had experience painting a mural, she’s had years of practice with several other art forms. But she is not the only person working on the mural. After seeing some of Rodriguez’s previous artwork, Beigner chose him to work with her to create the masterpiece.
Photo by Kayla Florenco
“We are definitely a team,” Rodriguez said. “We like to run ideas by each other on everything.”
The artists are not just doing a unicorn on the wall. Butterfly wings are also being painted near the unicorn for photo ops. After sketching out the unicorn, the students have started to paint the background of the mural blue as well as sketch out the butterfly wings. The completion of the unicorn, however, is going to have to wait in order to preserve the paint and other supplies.
“Interact club is doing it [the Zen garden], but Art Club is jumping on board and doing the art we definitely would not be able to do,” Interact Club sponsor Steve Franzone said. “There’s been other club members that have come out.”
“Hobin loved unicorns,” Biegner said. “We got a photograph of that painting from Ms. Patterson. They were really close friends so I based it off [of] that.”
Many people are contributing to the Zen garden and the multiple murals. The paint, brushes, smocks and other art supplies are being donated by numerous organizations. Much of the money that Interact Club raised last school year is being put toward this project.
The Zen garden has taken a lot of supplies and the new additions are being added everyday. Currently, there is no set finish date for the mural.
“Art is just going to take its time,” Rodriguez said. “When it’s done, it’s done.”
Photo by Kayla Florenco
