Art Teacher Michael Hollick and student Mia Fountain are encouraging Resilience Academy students to freely express their creativity through a “Create Your Own Character” board outside Hollick’s classroom.
Students are invited to color in empty head shapes to create unique characters that showcase their artistic flair. After watching an Instagram reel from artist Esverdiou, where she created a similar interactive project, Hollick was inspired to bring it to the academy, but needed help completing it. He turned to Fountain, a junior in the advanced art program, who eagerly agreed to stencil the head shapes.
“She made these face stencils, really quick; she wanted to do different sizes and types,” Hollick said of Fountain. He noted that it became popular with students, who stop on their way to their morning classes to draw something. He hopes to have more projects like this for students to participate in throughout the year. “People are really engaging with it. We invite anyone, no matter what drawing level you have, to engage and interact with it.”
Fountain noticed that many of her classmates are artistic in their own way and thought this was a perfect vehicle to show off their skills. While she created her own character designs for the board, Fountain appreciates the different ones her classmates came up with, including a realistic-looking ghost face. “I really like the way that everybody did it,” Fountain said. “Everywhere you look on here is something different, that’s what I love about it.”
More of Fountain’s art can be seen as students enter the academy – she co-designed and painted a banner of the school’s name with a Phoenix rising from the ashes. Fountain appreciates Hollick’s class because he lets her express herself through art and for being therapeutic on hectic days.
“The class itself really calms me down … art to me is peaceful,” Fountain said. “It’s my favorite class every time I do have it.”
