By Patrick Mulhearn
Government buildings are not noted for a capacity to inspire. Think of our very own County Government Center in Santa Cruz with its brooding concrete façade. But in its time that glowering edifice was renowned for its brutalist design, which at the time was all the rage.
The Rail it Took by Lyttrell Francis
Perhaps that’s why Santa Cruz County government takes such delight in festooning public buildings with local art. While the Government Center at 701 Ocean St. has for years played host to art exhibits and is home to several permanent collections of local arts, the new Aptos Village Public Safety Center is now home to a collection of local arts from our very own Aptos High School.
These pieces, predominantly photographs, were all conceived and produced by students.
Veronique Marks, an art teacher at the high school, recounted how this partnership developed: “Our principal, Peggy Pughe, was approached by Supervisor Zach Friend and his team at a community meeting in the fall of 2018. They were considering student art to adorn the new building that was still under construction. That’s when Peggy reached out to our department. In the winter of 2019, Supervisor Friend and his team began collaborating with the photography classes.”
This collaboration included discussion of themes, locations, and colors that might suit the venue.
A favorite place to watch the sunset by Ian McGuckin
“We were looking for new ways to highlight parts of my district that were personally important to these artists, and that would help bring some life and local flavor to make a more welcoming public office,” said Friend.
Another Aptos High School art teacher who collaborated on this project, Melissa Offut, said, “For the photography pieces, students were given an assignment to shoot local landscapes. Since we live in an area with such diverse and rich scenery, they were able to respond with some extraordinary and varied points of view.”
For Ian McGuckin, a senior at Aptos High School, this was his first time delving into the world of art. He’d never taken an art class but had always loved photography. For his piece, he chose a location that was personally important to him.
“Being just up the road to my house, this location has always been one of my favorite places to watch the sunset,” he said. “Knowing that college is quickly approaching, I wanted to capture the moment so that I can always remember exactly how it looks.”
He added that having his photograph on permanent display is a true honor, and he hopes it brings “as much joy to other people as it does to me.”
Lytrell Francis, another Aptos High School senior with artwork at the Public Safety Center, produced a multimedia piece called “the Rail it Took” with a drawing of Harriet Tubman superimposed on a map of Virginia and West Virginia.
Lytrell prefers pen and ink for his work because the medium allows for interesting opportunities for texture and shade. Pen and ink allow his imagination and emotions to “run wild,” but he doesn’t like to have too many guidelines. “Most of the time when it comes to art, throughout the creation of the piece I truly never stick to a plan and I have to allow and tell myself [that] plans change and [to] go with the flow of what my emotions and imagination say.”
For their teachers, this project was particularly important because of the impact public recognition of their art has on the artist.
“Displaying student art both publicly as well as in the classroom is an integral part of the art making process,” said Marks. “It helps build confidence, boosts self-esteem and pride in one’s abilities. It provides an opportunity for students to learn from each other and appreciate the work of others. It fosters empathy, respect, and most of all nurtures a strong sense of classroom and artist community.”
“Public recognition of student artwork is everything,” Offut said. “We make every effort to give our students opportunities to display their work. It is an integral part of the art-making process. When an artist/photographer has an audience, the work immediately becomes a richer piece — a collaboration between the maker and the viewer. This aspect of art-making provokes critical thinking on a higher level.”