Art teacher Lara Cannon recently completed this acrylic painting, which now graces the wall of our staff room. It’s called Toward Harmony. Measuring five by six feet, it shows a profusion of birds, blooms, and butterflies in a leafy tangle of branches. If you look carefully, you’ll see Mt. Diablo in the background.
“The painting shows a kind of busy, messy scene that’s somehow organized by an underlying structure,” Lara explains. “It’s meant to show appreciation for the staff and all the work they do to create that structure and harmony for the children.”
Lara (that’s her in the photo) painted About Harmony in the art room over the course of a year. She estimates it took her about 100 hours. “The kids were very interested in watching it progress. I think it was valuable for them to see me make mistakes and change things. They were shocked when I erased something they thought was ‘good.’ I had to explain to them why it wasn't working with the rest of the picture. I can't think of a better way to teach them about composition.”
Lara has donated prints of two of her works to the April 27 parent fundraiser. See more of her creations on her SurfaceDesign website.
Parents are welcome to stop by the staff room (across the hall from the Office) to see the painting. It’s truly something to behold!