These are some of the beautiful art pieces exposed in the newly open Wellness Center at San Luis Obispo High School, created by some of our art students. Photo courtesy of reporter Mara de Blas Villarán.
Within the walls of San Luis Obispo High School, among the bustling crowd, there exists a sometimes silent but always lively group of artists, students who don’t just doodle in notebooks but pour their souls onto canvases, sing or dance with passion, and breathe life into the stage.
“Art is my career and my future, it’s basically my personality, so it’s very important to me,” said senior Julie Vigil.
Some people perceive art as superficial, viewing it through a lens that may prioritize other pursuits.
“I’m more of a science person so in our school, I don’t really see much art in an everyday setting,” said junior Alana Cowan.
However, art can be incredibly significant beyond its appearance, holding tremendous value and power over someone’s feelings.
“Art to me is a way to express myself in ways that I can’t write down or talk about, to express what’s going on in my head without having to say it,” said sophomore Parker Marroquin.
Incorporating something they’ve always loved doing in the past and want to pursue in the future, into their present, day-to-day life is almost therapeutic for many art students, who feel very lucky for this advantage.
“Other schools’ art programs aren’t as well funded as ours, so I think SLOHS has done a great job of giving students many opportunities to explore different fields in art,” said senior Finley Mallon.
The Visual and Performing Arts department at SLOHS is doing a beautiful job igniting the creative flame within each student, fostering an environment where they feel free to let go of their worries and spend time learning how to do what they love.
Finding a passion is something that many art students have already achieved, even if they aren’t planning on dedicating their lives to it, but it’s also something that may require a longer journey in some cases.
“I believe everyone has a passion. There might be times when you don’t think you have one because of something troubling you, but in my opinion, everyone has a passion or the potential to find one that will make them happy. Some people may choose to act on it and go into the future with it, while others are going to keep it as their hobby and be happy with that,” said Marroquin.
Even between different interests, SLOHS students are encouraged to explore their fascinations, whether it be through academics, athletics, or in this underrated case, the arts. All of these driven teenagers, especially in the intense world of VAPA, remind us that everyone of all age ranges has the potential to uncover their own unique calling, painting the school community with vibrant and different colors every day.
