Ben Logan pupils’ pieces to beautify school, homes
Benjamin Logan Middle School student Kosar Kensler arranges his mosaic skull piece Monday that he created in his art classes with visiting artist Vicki Murphy, who was at the school twice a week throughout the 2017-18 school year through an Ohio Arts Council’s Teach Arts Ohio Initiative. His piece also received an “Excellent” award at the Logan County Music and Arts Festival last month, along with several other student pieces, including the Slytherin Harry Potter-themed piece. at right, created by Isaiah Stanford.
ALSO IN TUESDAY’S EXAMINER: Fifth-graders, Heavenlee Ostrander, Blake Frazier and Alyssa Johnston display their mandala mosaic artwork; Murphy, left, and middle school art teacher Jennifer Davis sit Monday on benches that were just installed with a colorful high-fire tile mosaic design at the school’s entrance, which is adorned with a sun and vine design installed last year, also through students’ mosaic work with Murphy; and seventh-grader Ryder Bensman holds his Emerald City-themed mosaic artwork. (EXAMINER PHOTOS | MANDY LOEHR)
Benjamin Logan Middle School pupils are donning gloves and safety glasses in their art classes this school year while cutting stained glass into various shapes and sizes, and also are working with an adhesive material called thinset and with grout to create beautiful works of art that are a treat to the eyes.
The pupils in grades 5 through 8 have become masters of this art technique — mosaics — under the tutelage of visiting artist Vicki Murphy of Westerville.
Her twice weekly visits to their art classes have been made possible through a $26,500 grant from the Ohio Arts Council’s Teach Arts Ohio Initiative received by BLMS art teacher Jennifer Davis.
Their pieces created with returning artist Murphy of Vicki Murphy Mosaics, who also worked with students through a grant last school year, will beautify both their school and their homes. The pupils have collaborated on largescale group pieces that will become permanent features at the middle school, and also have made smaller, personal masterpieces that they can keep or give as special gifts.