Hazleton Area High School

School/Community Connections!

2021-2022

Woohoo! We are back out in the community again...sharing our talents!

Can-Do Corporation Winter Window Paintings

The Can-Do Corporation asked us to return and paint some storefront windows again. So for 5 hours, 3 11th grade students and I painted in the empty building to the right or the Art League. The students worked hard on their designs, making modifications along the way due to how the paint was reacting to the cold windows (so no blending was possible.) The community loved them as they saw the city Christmas Tree lighting, and for 3 months after that. We'll be back in the Spring!

Hazleton Area High School's Community Veteran's Day Celebration/Breakfast

This year, to be sensitive to Covid issues, the ceremony was held outside. So our usual artwork on easels was not practical. So we created 2 4x4' mobile wood panel murals that can be reused from year to year. Felicia Cera Also designed the cover of a card given to every veteran.

2020-2021

The Corona virus certainly has put a damper on our ability to connect with the community! But we have great hopes that things will soon change for the better!

LOVE Mural at the Hazleton Integration Project

Sophomore Dylan Riofrio-Pine was the sole assistant to the muralist who designed this wonderful mural. He worked with her from the wall prep phase righgt through the end. Great job, Dylan!

2019-2020

Regional Reflections Contest Judging

1/2/20

The regional director of the Reflections contest asked my advanced students to judge the regional art entries that had advanced from their school level and were potentially on their way to the state level. The students needed to be aware of the criteria for each category, and thoughtfully discuss and score each piece from pre-school through 8th grade, 2-D and 3-D, and photography. This reinforces our up-coming unit on artistic/creative cognitive & fine motor skill human development! Also what a wonderful volunteer effort of these students to use their knowledge and skills of successful art-making and visual thematic interpretation to help support this excellent contest that celebrates the arts!

Progress on Mural for the new Hazleton Art Center

Great progress is being made on the mural for the new Art Center downtown! The design was created by my 2019 studio graduates (in 2017) when they received 3 college credits through LCCC in a collaborative project with international muralist Mary Veronica Sweeney. Now, two of the students, Mariluz Rodriguez and Jhoschwall DeVargas, and Mary Veronica are working countless hours to paint the many large panels that will go together to create the 5 much larger panels of the design. Watch for its installation in the next few months!

Originl artwork for our high school's annual Veteran's Day Community Breakfast

11/8/19

Halle McMinn    Karla Consuegra    Jenna Rossel

 Greater Hazleton Alliance for Progress Art Trail

November 1st & 2nd

This first-annual event was created to help the community be aware of and enjoy art displays and sales at galleries and a few schools around Hazleton. We were 1 of 2 schools where people from the community could come into the high school lobby and view over 50 works of art on display before heading on to the next stop on the "trail". I was here from 11-4 Saturday the 2nd to greet all who wanted to come and enjoy art from all of my studios.

Custom-Designed/Painted Bee Hives for Local Bee Keeper

(9/2019 to Present)

Did you know that the latest craze among bee keepers is to have custom-designed/painted hives?! It's just another of countless examples of how art is something that we all crave to have in our lives! My students needed to understand that they couldn't use dark colors, or the bees would have difficulty regulating the temperature of the hive in the summer. We have 4 full-size, multi-layered hives underway! What a fascinating design challenge for my students!

( More photos coming soon!) 

Pumpkin Painting for the Conyngham Valley Historical Society's Haunted Cemetery Lantern Walk

Several painted canvases for our high school's marching band competition show

For our 5th year, we have been asked by our marching band director to help enhance the field show performance with set visuals. The theme of the show involved the artistic process of the painter! A few of my students designed and created several canvases in the idea of a painting in progress...incomplete phases, frustrations, and the finished piece.

2018-2019

 Original work of art by senior Jhoschwall DeVargas were framed and dipslayed prominently on an easel at our annual Veterans Day Breakfast in the high school library (over 100 area veterans attend!) November, 2018

Marching Band Panels: 6 - 4'x8' mural panels were created for the marching band's field shows and competitions. The theme this year was Poe's "The Raven". 

Freeland Little League Sponsor Signs

Another sign finished and a 2nd for the year in the works! Even more children now will be able to enjoy playing baseball free of charge in Freeland! This 4'x8' sign was created from a tiny business card, and is ready to be hung on the outfeld fence for the season! (A 2nd panel was created for DeAngelo Brothers, but we do not have a photo of that one yet.)

Fire Panels for the Junior Showcase

Several of my juniors created 3 4'x8' panels showing fire for the Dance Studio's fire number in the showcase. The students were able to explore set design, and how the different areas of the arts explores a certain theme (fire in the Odyssey). 

2017-2018

Marching Band panels (8 4'x8' panels to create 2 8'x16' images in Pirate/British theme)

(pictures coming soon)

At the Hazleton High School's 2017 Veterans' Day Lunch, a poignant and touching large work of art by junior Jhoschwall DeVargas was on display prominantly in the library for the guests to see as they entered. Jhoschwall created this piece in conjunction with his social studies class. He researched subject matter appropriate to WWI for this moving tribute.

T-Shirt Design worn by the entire Arts & Humanities Academy on their trip to Washington D.C. to visit the Holocaust Museum, various memorials, art exhibits, and the cherry blossoms. Design by Mariluz Rodriguez

Junior Julio Rumaldo created the T-Shirt for the varsity swim team's famous "hell week" training time (almost every day of Christmas break for many hours...hence the name).

Freeland Little League Sonsor Signs

4 - 4'x8' Sponsor signs were created to the precise specifications of the business. All logos/art/font style is given to the students by the business, and then we must design a layout that is easily read from across a baseball field. (Signs are hung on the outfield fence during the ball season.)

2016-2017

Marching Band Panels (8 - 4'x8' panels to create 2 - 8'x16' images)

Freeland Little League Sponsor Sign (1 - 4'x8' Panel)

Collaboration with Traveling Performing Group "Artrageous"

Students made music-inspired, spontaneous art that was displayed the night of the concert...along with a music video created in collaboration with the Career Center Videography students! They also attended a performance just for Academy students.

T-Shirt Design worn by the entire Arts &Humanities Academy to NYC to see the Broadway Show "Wicked" and attend the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Design by Mariluz Rodriguez

Art At the Markle

Many of my students participated in this wonderful, not-judged, community art show. The students saw their work displayed professionally in the amazing urban-loft setting of the 11th floor of the Markle Building in Hazleton. It was a lovely evening at the gallery, with live music, food, and many people from all over the area to enjoy art!

Junior Student Teachers for a day! The Honors Visual Arts II class were invited to McAdoo Elementary to teach a step-by-step painting lesson on canvas in 4 classrooms to 3rd grade. Preparation involved lesson plans being written, completed samples created, and discussions of teaching strategy. It was so successful, we were invited back next year!  

2015-2016

Window Painting in Downtown Hazleton (Representative Tarah Toohil's office, LCCC, the Chamber of Commerce, and The Shop 2)

Marching Band Panels (5 - 4'x8' Panels in Star Trek Theme)

T-Shirt design for the Hazleton High School Marching Cougars Band by

Freshman Halle McMinn

Freeland Little League Sponsor Signs (3 - 4'x8' panels)

Cafeteria Appreciation Day Cards/Posters (Personalized for every worker!)

Hazleton Area Arts & Humanities Academy Logo Design created by freshman Kayla Leonard