The renowned partnership that exists between Bridgewater Township and the Borough of Raritan is a decorative reminder to staff and visitors at the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District’s Wade Administration Building.
A wall that is located in the building’s multi-purpose room is now an attractive mural that was painted over the summer by 10 very skilled artists of the Bridgewater-Raritan High School National Art Honor Society.
The students were joined during their brushing project by Sarah Nassan, their devoted National Art Honor Society Advisor and high school Art Teacher.
The talented Bridgewater-Raritan High School National Art Honor Society students who participated in this exhibit are seniors Sophie Avila,Katie Forton, Sinny Gutierrez, Brigid Moffitt, Kylie Rosander, Ana Syed, and Rin Van Loggerenberg, juniors Imani Brown and Amalia Marquardt and sophomore Sierra Marce.
So when August 5 rolled around, these 10 students and their teacher gave up three days a week of their summer vacation during the mornings and crafted a beautiful scene that depicts two school buildings–one titled Bridgewater and the other titled Raritan–and paintings of children, adults and animals all enjoying what appears to be a beautiful August day.
“The painting is a representation of the two communities coming together to live, work, and go to school,” Sophie Avila explained.
The project was born when Suzanne Klos, the Executive Secretary to Superintendent Bob Beers who was quite aware of the sound reputation of the art students at the high school, reached out to Ms. Nassan in late spring.
Ms. Klos was seeking to recruit some gifted artists who would be interested in sprucing up and beautifying the Wade Administration Building, the headquarters of the school district.
“They designed this themselves and then they went for it,” Ms. Nassan said.. ”And they got it done so fast. It took three weeks to finish.”
While it was work, it was enjoyable, so said Sophie, who has been honored with numerous submissions during her career.
“It was a lot of fun painting a mural with a lot of people, and some are new,” said Sophie, whose brilliant works include being honored in the Fresh Perspective 2024 In-Person Exhibition at the Morris Museum and recognition in the 2024 Scholastic Art Awards.
These artists are not done decorating the Wade Administration Building.
The students are presently painting a canvas remotely that will eventually be placed on the wall in the Office of the Registrar.
“I am so proud of them” Ms. Nassan said.
“It was a great way to spend August,” Sophie concluded.