Those coming into the library before school, during lunch periods and study halls, or after school to get some homework done, may notice the lively art encompassing the large whiteboard along the main balcony on the third floor. As of the 2023-2024 school year, Oak Park and River Forest High School has two rotating artists who decorate this extensive canvas. Every other month a new design is drawn by either freshman Jane Bradley or junior Elora Cianciolo.
OPRF librarians designed this system. They reported that while they had some students volunteer to decorate it last year, they decided to take applications this year to create a routine job. Ten applicants submitted drawings, responding to the prompt, “What was your favorite book as a kid?” and two were selected to share the role.
While the large-scale drawings are designed to impress, they also aim to engage viewers through interactive elements. For November, Cianciolo had drawn a turkey with the prompt, “What are you thankful for?” and provided examples of what students can respond with, both silly and serious. Empty bullet points were left for anyone who wished to reply, alongside a container filled with colorful markers residing on a stool next to the board. There was an additional section calling for students’ suggestions on naming the turkey as well.
This month, Bradley has taken up the entire whiteboard turning it into a large-scale sheet of lined notebook paper. The prompt of December is, “Highlights of 2023” to reflect and close out semester one of this school year, along with some colorful highlighters taking up the board tying into the title. There’s plenty of room for students to leave their comments, such as “Beating Fenwick,” “Football Games,” and “Pulling my first all nighter.”
When asked what goes into this process, Cianciolo said, “We are given a list of themes to choose from, but from there, we’re given free rein. For example, in May, we’ll be doing something celebrating the graduates of this year. It takes roughly an hour to complete but requires some sketching and planning of what we’re going to do beforehand.” She’s done art for a while but got back into it because of the pandemic, as it was a fun and relaxing escape. Her passion for art derives from her fondness for birds, and wanted to be able to draw them which has gotten the ball rolling to today, she said.
