North Atlanta High School’s art department is one of the school’s pride and joys, reflected in the countless murals covering the walls of the school. This impressive artistry could not be done without the initiative of North Atlanta art students to implement their innovative ideas into the building. Their creativity was recently honored through Mayor Andre Dickens’ request to feature student art in Outstanding Atlanta, a black tie gala to commemorate ten outstanding Atlantans. With the year of 2023 dubbed the ‘Year of the Youth’ it was only fit for the artistic Warriors to be included.
Ten talented senior visual arts students were selected to create art representing Mayor Dickens’ chosen theme of ‘Iconic Atlanta.’ The students were instructed to create art that they felt represented Atlanta at its core. With a choice of any medium, the project allowed total creative freedom to each young artist in designing their own vision of what ‘Iconic Atlanta’ meant to them. One of the ten selected students, senior Marin Cochran, opted to recreate Altanta’s famous high-rises through watercolor. “It has our iconic buildings of the city skyline,” Cochran said. “All to represent my love for Atlanta.”
‘Iconic Atlanta’ has a different meaning to every Atlantan. Although some of the students sought to portray what made Atlanta unique to them, senior Orelon McNeal wanted to pick a subject that showed Atlanta’s impact on an international level: Coca Cola. Taking full advantage of the creative freedom, McNeal’s piece was created through print-making and gel pens to replicate the classic bottles of Coke with a special design in white. On the idea behind their art piece, McNeal said, “Everyone knows about Coke but everyone might not know that it originated right here in Atlanta.”
With ten art pieces ready to be showcased, the impact of art within the community is clear. In all its forms–from watercolor to hand drawn pieces–art has given life to the world by providing information beyond words. These ten seniors have been recognized for the artistic abilities that they have exhibited throughout their high school career. Orelon McNeal, Mya Gause, Marin Cochran, Blair Rubinger, Lisette Zarate-Cambron, Ellie Dumont, Mia Walker, Kira Watkins, Diana Monsouri, and Brooke Robinson are the ones to watch.
