Diane Reed, a local artist, has taught art for years, increasing her students’ skills and confidence. She is an amazing, selfless person who speaks several languages and travels oversees to Kenya and other places to introduce art to children who live in less than ideal circumstances.
When COVID-19 kept us in our homes, Diane asked her students, age 4 to adult, to take part in a daily art project with her online. She promised that when things were better, they would all get together and share their works. Brainstorming, she came up with the idea of asking her students to paint something that would depict their love of our mountain. A couple of her students’ parents are on the Love Lookout committee and suggested they partner. She contacted Trey Carico, who jumped at the chance to participate in this project and helped her organize a socially-distanced community get-together. Observing safety protocol, folks gathered to paint a banner that shows Lookout Mountain from the valley, and different students all graced the work with trees and clouds and all manner of details.
A multi-generational group of students gathered in teams of 12 at Diane’s home, where she arranged 12 tables that held an 18- by 4 -foot canvas with the outline of the mountain. The Love Lookout committee helped keep people apart and assisted while Diane directed the children and adults on what section they were to paint. About 40 participants signed up for one-hour time slots during the day, and the event couldn’t have been more of a success.
Committee members hung the banner across Lula Lake Road, and from there it will travel to other places on the mountain, like the Commons, the elementary schools, and other areas. The banner is extremely colorful, with bright blues and greens and browns, and this beautiful creation shows the love of our mountain!
What a wonderful way to involve mountain residents in a beautification project that will travel for many years and bring lots of joy.
by Gwin Tugman
When COVID-19 kept us in our homes, Diane asked her students, age 4 to adult, to take part in a daily art project with her online. She promised that when things were better, they would all get together and share their works. Brainstorming, she came up with the idea of asking her students to paint something that would depict their love of our mountain. A couple of her students’ parents are on the Love Lookout committee and suggested they partner. She contacted Trey Carico, who jumped at the chance to participate in this project and helped her organize a socially-distanced community get-together. Observing safety protocol, folks gathered to paint a banner that shows Lookout Mountain from the valley, and different students all graced the work with trees and clouds and all manner of details.
A multi-generational group of students gathered in teams of 12 at Diane’s home, where she arranged 12 tables that held an 18- by 4 -foot canvas with the outline of the mountain. The Love Lookout committee helped keep people apart and assisted while Diane directed the children and adults on what section they were to paint. About 40 participants signed up for one-hour time slots during the day, and the event couldn’t have been more of a success.
Committee members hung the banner across Lula Lake Road, and from there it will travel to other places on the mountain, like the Commons, the elementary schools, and other areas. The banner is extremely colorful, with bright blues and greens and browns, and this beautiful creation shows the love of our mountain!
What a wonderful way to involve mountain residents in a beautification project that will travel for many years and bring lots of joy.
by Gwin Tugman