High School hallways don’t have the reputation for being bright and colorful, but the entrance to Sleepy Hollow High School’s auditorium will now defy that expectation. When the new school year begins in September, students, faculty, and community members will be welcomed into the theater by a mural depicting a variety of types of musicians and artists from around the world, along with Sleepy Hollow landmarks, including the famous lighthouse, and symbols representing the diversity of culture and art. Drums and a microphone frame a woman’s face. In her hair are flowers, each one representing a different culture. A wave beside her is split by a path of piano keys. Sheet music to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera adorn the skies. The project is a shining testament to the school’s thriving art department, both visual and performing.
Sleepy Hollow High School held an inauguration ceremony for the new mural, painted by students from the school’s art program, and led by Sleepy Hollow graduate Bernardo Rodriguez, on June 12. Rodriguez was born in the Dominican Republic and immigrated to the United States with his family. He graduated from Sleepy Hollow in 2014 and has since made art his career. During the spring of this past school year, he was Sleepy Hollows High School’s artist-in-residence. According to him: “[The mural] is a celebration of music, movement, color, and culture.”
Rodriguez and Sleepy Hollow’s Art Department led the students in the school’s AP Art and Portfolio Honors classes, many of whom stayed after school and came in during weekends to work until the mural was complete. Even the concept design for the artwork was created by the students.
When transferring the artwork from a concept sketch to the walls, every detail had to be considered. Lights hanging from the ceiling created a natural shadow that needed to be carefully planned around. The dress from a dancer needed to flow toward the entrance to the theater. After all the careful planning, students painted the basic shapes of the mural onto the wall, and continued to add layer upon layer of details until their masterpiece was complete.
“[The mural] is a testament to the power of community, culture and creativity. It stands as a symbol for [the] shared heritage … of Sleepy Hollow High School.” said Rodrieguez, in his speech at the mural’s inauguration. The work of art is a permanent mark on the school and will be welcoming students into the high school’s auditorium for years to come.
