Ark Valley News - Art for Hartman

Students in Christina Carlson's Advanced 2D Art class at Valley Center High School work on a mural that will hang in Hartman Arena in Park City.

Art for Hartman
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: November 25, 2015

Students' mural to be on display in Park City arena

A colorful mural with a rock-n-roll theme made by a handful of Valley Center High School students will soon be on display at Hartman Arena.

Students in Christina Carlson's Advanced 2D class designed and created a 96-square-foot mural depicting iconic musical figures and images.

The mural is scheduled to be picked up Dec. 2.

"It's an awesome opportunity," Carlson said. "It's been great for both me and the students to get feedback on what we're doing. It's a great real-world opportunity for all of us."

The project, called Art Rocks, is part of Hartman Arena's effort to bring a piece of the community into the arena and enhance spectators' experience, said Abby Marr, the arena's marketing director.

"It started with just the simple idea of inviting a high school art class to paint a mural on one wall," Marr said. "Then after we began speaking with local art teachers and hearing the excitement in their voices, it became clear that this needed to be something bigger. It was more of a community art project."

In early October, students at Valley Center High School, Heights High School, Sunrise Christian Academy and Northeast Magnet were given a set of themes from which to design their mural. Valley Center chose Kansas history and rock-n-roll history.

Students completed sketches of the mural and submitted them to Hartman staff, who chose which school would do which theme.

Carlson said Valley Center's mural was the combination of a couple of sketches. They included artistic depictions of Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, a young Elvis Presley and Slash from Guns N Roses as well as a variety of musical images, such as a guitar, drum set, and notes.

Hartman supplied the blank panels and a $100 gift card to purchase materials and gave the groups a little over a month to complete the project.

The fast pace of the project is stressful, Carlson said, but it gives students a chance to experience deadline pressures.

"It's really making the kids come together and work together," she said.

Kaylee Watson, a junior, was instrumental in designing the mural.

"It's frustrating and scary, but it's exciting," Watson said.

At Hartman, some of the murals will welcome the public, while some will be displayed backstage welcoming incoming musical artists.

"This is a great opportunity for students in our local community to display their talent in the arts," said Ben Bolander, Hartman arena executive director. "Each mural will be unique and bring new light to Hartman Arena as we welcome guests and touring talent to Park City."