Visual artist Beryl Solla returned again to Harrisonburg High School to lead Fine Arts academy students in creating another mural. On Thursday, March 15, she came to first first period and was surprised when she met her design team.

“The kids who designed it were amazing. They had such big ideas. It was wonderful,” Solla said

Solla describes her role in creating the mural as a facilitator; she encouraged the students to be unique so that they could discover their style while making the mural.

“It’s very engaging. For me it’s fun because I’m dealing with creative people, and my goal is not to lead them, it’s to kind of facilitate,” Solla said.

For the students, it was a new and interesting experience to create a mural that was made out of tile instead of paint.

“I think it’s cool that they’re getting students to work on this thing. This is kind of new to me, I didn’t expect to be using mosaic pieces for a mural,” freshman Abbie Menard said.

As a whole, the group of students who were working on the mural viewed the experience as relaxing, and they believed it was great to be working on a piece of art for the school.

“I like that the Fine Arts academy is using its students to improve the school and give more art to our community, freshman Genevieve Kennedy said.

Much like the students, HCPS Fine Arts Coordinator J.R. Snow, who asked Solla to work with the academy, believed that creating the art for the school is a beneficial opportunity.

“Creating art is something that’s really really important and allowing students to create real art that will be everlasting,” Snow said.

According to Snow, the mural will be worked on throughout the next four years. Placed on the curved wall of the auditorium commons, it will be advertised to all students as a sign of community.

“Art has meaning. And it’s general and it can be anywhere. It makes the place anywhere,” Solla said.