Drury High School students added 20 more paintings to the Cascade School Supplies front wall.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A second row of paintings created by Drury High School students were added to Cascade School Supplies' building this week.

"We are very, very proud to be hosting this mural in progress," said Peter Cote, president of Cascade, at a celebration on Wednesday. "Our vision was to improve the look of our 100-plus-year-old building and to fit into the emerging culture of our city, while incorporating the incredible talents of the students in the Drury art department."

 

The first row was installed last spring on the Brown Street side of the building.

 

Fourteen students from Cheryl Wildermuth's studio art class and seven students from Phoebe Pepper's advanced art class created the paintings that were recreation of masterpieces including "Sunflowers" by Van Gogh, "Blue Morning Glories" by Georgia O’Keefe and "Jacqueline with Flowers" by Picasso..

 

"Nobody wanted them to leave the building but they were already spoken for," Pepper joked.

 

But now outside of Drury High School the art is now exposed to the entire community — as well as the expected visitors who will park on and around Brown Street for this weekend's Solid Sound Festival.

 

This is the second year of the project. Pepper said the project began after Cote and vice president Todd Shafer approached Drury about adding art to the west side of the building. After bouncing some ideas around, the mural project was chosen.

 

Cascade also presented a $1,000 check to the art department and will donate art supplies of the department's desire.

 

Mayor Richard Alcombright thanked Cascade for the donation and its work in the community — including outside the art spectrum — and the students.

 

"At the end of the day this doesn't happen without the artists," Alcombright said.

 

Pepper said next year's plan is to finish the third of four rows with 24 more paintings. Cote said he hopes to include the Route 2 side of the building to add more visibility from the busy street and thinks the mural will one day be added to the walking tour route.

 

The art was installed by the Cascade staff with a lift borrowed from Waterman Excavating.