What does it take to make a painting this large?

By Munira Alimire
Arts and Entertainment Editor
Munira.Alimire1651@mb.rctc.edu

Since early October, RCTC’s Art Club has been working on a mural. Members of the club related what they felt it took to complete the project.

According to Lul Sharif, it took time. Since October, when Vivian Nguyen sketched the first draft of the painting on a prepared canvas, the club has been working hard on the mural. Despite only meeting once a week, club members stayed beyond meeting hours and came during their own free time to work some more on it.

You also need tons of inspiration, says Jeff Jacobsen, the club’s faculty adviser.

The members spent hours poring through books and art archives after being given the word “diversity.” What they got from that research is a mural featuring art styles all over the world, ranging from the Egyptian Anubis to a Dia de los Muertos-inspired skull to the Buddha.

Echo Photo by Abigail Furutani
Art Club members (from left) Eman Abdullahi, Eddie Otterness, Katie Scherger, club adviser Jeff Jacobsen and Vivian Nguyen are some of the students who helped complete portions of a large mural representing the diversity of RCTC’s population.

Teamwork and commitment is the answer you’d get from PenniJo Brenke, the club president.

“It’s really important that we come together as a club, learn more about each other and have fun, but if we want to achieve something, we are going to really have to stay focused on our goal,” Brenke said.

The Art Club plans to donate the painting to RCTC, as they are aware to the deep commitment RCTC has to promoting and supporting the diversity and multiculturalism of the students that attend the school.

“We also want people to realize that they are honestly represented in the art we are trying to create,” added club member Chloe Themann. “When people know they are seen and cared about, it really changes the dynamic we have, which is so important in our current climate.”