The open area right in the center of the school is completely quiet, with the exception of the music playing in the earbuds of those concentrated on their artwork. The weather is cool, the air fresh, and the wind soft, blowing lightly against canvases full of color, depth, and meaning. It’s a new environment for the art students here at PPCHS, but the same passion is still there.

   On Monday, January 31, the usual clusters of friends gathered around the school fountain was replaced with a new sight to see: artists in their element. These kids were taking part in the tradition of Art Day, an entire school day in which the art students work on their current projects outside instead of being cooped up in their usual classroom.

   While the event was primarily for these artists to catch some fresh air, the outside setting gave other students the chance to see the talent in Charter’s art classes. Art teacher Mrs.Vazquez, who held the event, was glad to hear what people had to say. “I find that students often feel inspired after sharing their work and seeing how others respond to it,” she says. Sure enough, this goal was achieved. Although having fun showing off her artwork to the school, Junior Camila King was appreciative of others’ thoughts about it. She expresses that “it did feel nice to have some friends come over every now and then to look at our art and give some comments.”

    Not only were these little conversations a source of encouragement, but the different location in itself sparked new ideas in the students’ minds. Despite Monday’s chilly temperature outside, what mattered to the student artists was not being trapped within the same walls they were always in. “Being inside can sometimes cloud my thought process,” sophomore Giovanna Caballero explains. “Going outside for a change definitely helped fix that.” For her, being away from physical walls knocked down any of her mental ones. Her ideas flowed more freely in the outdoors, and she even gained inspiration from nature to incorporate into her project.

   Simply put, Art Day granted everyone involved the opportunity to see with new eyes — both the artists and the viewers. The annual tradition itself experiences change, too, depending on what type of project the art students are working on at the time. Still, that same passion of these young artists has always remained.

   Giovanna sums it up perfectly: “Sometimes it’s nice to break routine and to be forced to think out of the box.” With the event running according to plan and new projects to come, these artists have much more in store for PPCHS.