There is an abundance of creative students at Olympia High School, many of who call the Art Club home. 

Held during both Bear Times, this club offers a wide range of artistic opportunities. For example, in club advisor Josh Everson’s room 301, students draw, paint, and learn new skills such as inking, watercolor, and how to utilize values/textures while still refining techniques. In classroom 302 next door, second club advisor Courtney Warnick’s room, students work with clay, use the pottery wheel, and experiment with 3D artistic techniques. 

Art Club’s president is Cree Barna, an AP art student. Barna believes “If anyone is wanting to better themself as an artist or try something new they should come to art club.” Another Art Club member, Oliver Borean,  thinks “everybody needs an outlet for their thoughts and art is a great way to do that.”

Art Club encourages freedom of expression as well as collaboration, which can be seen in its efforts with new and upcoming projects.  Warnick shared the idea to “offer workshops… where we will have students teaching different skill sets and different types of art.” This will give students not only the opportunity to get teaching experience but to practice new skills they may have an interest in.

The club is currently working on new art pieces that focus on the recognition of art at OHS. “We are working on a couple [of] big public art pieces that have been approved already; one of them is a mural,” said Everson. This 5 foot canvas will likely be installed somewhere around campus.

Everson hopes that the Art Club will “help the artist who makes the pieces feel recognized and feel valued by what they have to contribute,” because “not everyone is an athlete or a scholar, and we want to use the art department to give those students some recognition.”

He believes Art Club will have a positive impact on our school by building a stronger community, another one of his goals. “It is part of my goal to change the culture and the climate of Olympia High School to be more arts-friendly and focused,” shared Everson.