It was three weeks before the homecoming parade. Paint brushes flew across the large poster that students will have to hold during the parade. The inspiration for this painting? “The Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh. The students putting in the hard work to create this art piece? The Art Club members of Bellevue East High School.

Consisting of some of Bellevue East’s creative students, Art Club members enjoy the splattering of paints and sketches of portraits. The sponsors of this club are instructors Emily Vidlak and Rachel Schutte. The president is junior Madeline Walter, vice president is junior Mila Hormann, and treasurer is junior Amelia Watson.

“I’m the president so I help plan what we are going to do in the meetings and I help run the meetings if needed,” Walter said.

Art Club has no prior art requirements needed to join. They meet once a month in the art room, a time that students use to create crafts and projects.

“We try to do things that everybody can do so you don’t necessarily need to be super skilled in art to be in Art Club,” Vidlak said. “Sometimes we just do a coloring page to destress and take away from what’s going on at school and kind of do a mental health day.”

At their first meeting, they played a simple Pictionary game in order to get to know each other. The second and third meetings were followed by creating decorations for the upcoming homecoming parade. 

“Some people decorated aprons and painted their own design on them,” Vidlak said. “Some people did a big poster, some people did little cardboard cutouts, so that was a ‘choose what you wanted to decorate.’”

Another event they participated in was BEAST Trick or Treat Night on October 24. They had art stations located around the school for kids to stop by and glue spooky characters together.

“We ran the arts and crafts table where little kids would come and make little hand ghosts or Frankensteins or pumpkins,” Watson said.

At their November 6 meeting, members created their own ornaments out of clay. They painted their ornament at the next meeting after it was fired in the oven. Available for assistance, Walter plays the biggest part of her role as president at the meetings.

“I go around and I tell them what they are supposed to be doing for our crafts and I ask them if they need any help,” Walter said.

Whether the art is being molded, painted, colored, or any other type of creative method, it holds a deeper meaning than just fun arts and crafts. Art Club can be a place for students to find their inner imagination through interacting with other students who enjoy art.

“Art is a form of free creativity that people can use to express how they feel in their own brains and minds,” Walter said.

Both Walter and Watson urge people to join Art club as it is a great opportunity for individualistic expression. Vidlak decided to become the sponsor because she felt it was important for Bellevue East to have.

“I think the message we like to spread is that everyone is welcome and creativity matters. Just having a creative outlet and making art– even if it’s just for a short while– is important to break away from all the other schoolwork we do,” Vidlak said. “It’s a fun time, so feel free to come.”