by Jackie Thompson

Walk down the curved art hallway at Bellbrook High School and you’ll find yourself surrounded by the colorful “legacy blocks” of this year’s seniors and those of seniors past. Leaving behind these beautiful murals is a tradition for the graduating art students here at BHS. It gives them the opportunity to express themselves, leave something behind for the future classes, and frankly, make some really amazing art.

This piece, painted by senior Rachel Greider, a student of Art 4, depicts a scene from one of her favorite movies, Disney’s Tangled. “[That scene with the gondola] really stuck with me,” she says. “I remember being awed by the lighting and the animation…it was stunning. I wanted to try and capture it myself.” Greider plans to attend the University of Cincinnati and pursue a degree in Communication Design.

Senior Gabi Zapata, also in the Art 3/4 class, is taking a different approach to her legacy block with zentangling. Zentangle is almost like meditative doodling; the artist draws structured patterns, one after the other, with little prior planning involved. This technique is known for producing striking, intricate images and having calming effects. An avid zentangler herself, Zapata agrees: “It’s a great way to express myself and de-stress.” Zapata says she’s undecided as to where she’ll be attending college next year, but she’s certain she will continue taking art classes in the future.

Anna Starkey, another senior in the Art 3/4 class, chose to use her legacy block to pay homage to one of her favorite songs: “Lucy in the Sky,” by the Beatles. Although it’s still in the works, Starkey’s plan includes colorful, psychedelic patterns surrounding a girl leaping through the sky. “[That song] has always resonated with me since I was little,” Starkey says. “I feel like it’s a really good representation of myself and that’s what I wanted to leave behind.”

These three are only a few of the many blocks will decorate the curved hallway in the coming weeks as senior art students choose their blocks and claim them with borders of scotch tape. Keep your eyes peeled for these masterpieces in the making!