Jeff Tech Art Club students continue window painting tradition in … – The Courier-Express

REYNOLDSVILLE Over the course of four days, Jeff Tech (Jefferson County Vocational Technical School) Art Club students have continued their tradition of painting cheerful and creative holiday designs on the windows of Reynoldsville businesses.

Jeff Techs Art Club was established in 2017, which is when they started painting windows, said art instructor Angela Dragich. Working with the Reynoldsville Community Association, students have painted windows every year since, except for 2020, along Main Street in Reynoldsville and at the Reynoldsville American Legion. Typically, Dragich says they cover about 18-19 businesses.

Some participate each year, like Reynoldsville Hardware, the Food Pantry, One Stop, The Sub Hub, S&T Bank, the Laundry Mat, District Magistrate office and others.

In January, students return to clean off the windows that still have designs on them, Dragich noted. For the most part, students decide what theyd like to paint, but there are businesses that prefer non-secular, non-religious or no Christian-themed designs.

Jeff Tech Art Club students created their own version of "the leg lamp" from "A Christmas Story." In this photo, Maria Hoch is shown painting a window.

The students sometimes get a chance to go in the business and take requests, she said.

This year, for example, the Grinch has been a popular request from both Glass Erectors and The Sub Hub, and was also painted on one of the laundry mat windows. By request, students also recreated the leg lamp from A Christmas Story on the windows next to The Sub Hub shop on Main Street.

Other designs this year include a reindeer, Snoopy, Jack Skeleton as Santa, winter houses and trees, Christmas lights, Santa with a bag of money, a gingerbread man, a farmer elf with animals and others.

A total of 12 students participated in the window painting this year, Dragich said. She noted that an Art Club alumni surprised them on Nov. 20 when they were out painting and stayed to help paint.

The students hear a lot of positive feedback from the community about the designs, she said, from both business owners and people passing by.

Jeff Tech Art Club students are shown in front of Glass Erectors in Reynoldsville, where they painted a Grinch design.

The business owners and volunteers are happy to see the students return each year to paint their windows, she said.

Dragich noted that Glass Erectors even took a photo of its windows, and made an appreciation post on Facebook.

Some students sign up to window paint every year they are in Art Club, and/or every day, she said.

Dragich asked her art students why they choose to paint windows in the cold, rainy, and sometimes snowy weather conditions.

Jeff Tech student Trinity Britton is shown painting a Grinch hand.

Junior cosmetology student Aubrey Dinger said, Window painting is an opportunity to make friends with people. I love to paint, and its awesome to see each others artistic abilities.

Brooke Farmery, senior student in health assisting, said, It gives us a way to spread kindness and holiday cheer throughout the community.

Its a great way to practice and share your art and holiday cheer, added senior engineering student Trinity Britton. Its (also) a great way to meet new people, and make their holidays full of cheer.

Noah Webster, a junior in digital media arts, said he enjoys when he is able to be creative, and doesnt let the weather stop him. This is his second year window painting.

Gabby Phillips, a junior in welding shop, said that she enjoys missing class, but also just very much enjoys painting windows. This is her third year painting with Art Club.

Jeff Tech student Sara White is shown painting houses on the windows of a beauty shop in Reynoldsville.

The RCA provides the paint for these projects, said Dragich, and replenishes it when needed. The RCA also kindly provided lunch for the students on one of their painting days at Main Street Pizza.

The Reynoldsville American Legion also provided a donation to the art department for its appreciation of the window painting, and the Food Pantry provided snacks for students.

The rest is here:

Jeff Tech Art Club students continue window painting tradition in ... - The Courier-Express