Students recreate masterpieces on doors

The artists were being depicted by students. Children at Horrall School Visual and Performing Arts and Technology Magnet in San Mateo take part in an integrated program where art is mixed with other lessons. The students recently took on a symbolic project: recreating works inspired by masters on 23 salvaged doors. A free community art event will be held Saturday, “Opening Doors Through the Arts,” to debut the work. In addition, people can make their own work which will become the final portion of the installation.

“The aim of the project was not only to engage students in a collaborative art history study, but to show how ordinary forms can become extraordinary metaphors,” explained artist-in-residence Sinem Banna. “The doors symbolize opportunities, chances and changes. Installing the doors on a fence represents how fortunate we are to be part of a school where students have access to the arts and how their creative minds can pass through life’s obstacles. Horrall School is the door on a fence, opening students’ horizons and guiding them to discover the power of creativity in and through the arts.”

Horrall is in its third year as an arts magnet school, which includes five artists in residence with disciplines including dance, theater, music and visual arts. Students attend each discipline once a week.

On Wednesday, some of the children dressed like the artists or artwork depicted on the latest school-wide project. Three of the doors were hung this week on the school’s front, a sneak peak to the larger work that will be debuted this weekend.

Nine-year-olds Jasmin Sanchez and Abby Marsden helped in the process, and the promotion. Sanchez dressed as Frida Kahlo while Marsden, wearing mostly black, was inspired by a Matisse figure.

“I like the arts,” said Marsden, who transferred to Horrall this year for the art-centric program. “We’re doing things I’ve never really done.”

Sanchez grinned widely when asked about Frida Kahlo. Banna described Sanchez’s personal work as reminiscent of Kahlo’s work. One of the doors depicts the artists Kahlo, which Sanchez helped paint.

“I like learning new styles of art,” Sanchez said.

All the artistic offerings reinforce the academic and artistic standards, explained resource teacher Kristy Fordham. Students integrate social science and science with art sometimes. For example, Sanchez and Marsden described making clay in class which they then molded to create a topographical map of California that the students then color-coded to match area temperatures.

Principal John Dean noted art is considered not just an extra, but something that can enrich all topics before the children. Currently, the school relies on magnet grant money to keep such programs vibrant. That won’t last forever, so a group, Horrall Friends of the Arts Foundation, was created to raise funds to fill that gap in years ahead.

Activities Saturday are free. There will be workshops for children, live music and people are encouraged to have a picnic at school. Those who attend will also be asked to help finish the doors’ installation.

Some of the doors already created have keys which represent things like creativity, hope, strength and imagination. Those different concepts build to the symbolism of opening doors to various things.

Each participant will be given a key and a small door-shaped piece of wood - the blank canvas to their own masterpiece.

The question is: What will those keys open?

“Opening Doors Through the Arts,” a free community event, will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9 on campus, 949 Ocean View Ave. in San Mateo. It will include an unveiling of the doors artwork, live music, live painting, art projects, workshops for children in dance, music and theater and picnic. Food will be for sale, benefiting Horrall Friends of the Arts Foundation, or people are welcome to bring their own picnic.

Heather Murtagh can be reached by e-mail: heather@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 105.