Reviewed by Mary McLaughlin, Ma-TESOL; M.S. SpEd
Art has played a major role within various industries. Works by a variety of artists have served to inspire, provoke, and even educate. One of the latest art developments in Hawaii has proven to exert a positive effect within the academe.
Jeff Albrecht, an art teacher in Hawaii, recently contributed an art piece to supplement a sprawling mural at the Henry Perrine Baldwin High School. The teacher in question has carved out a reputation as a result of over two decades of producing art. Art collectors all over the world have patronized Albrecht’s works and now, as a way of giving something back to the community, he has chosen to donate one of his pieces to the high school in Maui.
The art teacher has fostered a desire to contribute one of his works to an academic institution for a considerable amount of time. This specific contribution comes as a result of a throwaway conversation between the artist and his cousin. Now, Henry Perrine Baldwin is in the possession of one of Albrecht’s art pieces. The size of the piece is considerable, covering two walls located in the campus ground’s central area.
The piece that Albrecht has produced possesses a utilitarian quality, boosting the aesthetics of an area close to the school’s cafeteria where various members of its community congregate on a regular basis.
The artist’s process, while efficient, did harbor its own share of challenges. One of the main sources of difficulty during the creation of the art piece for the school largely had to deal with the scarcity of time. Albrecht was working on a tight schedule with an art show in Oahu just before he was scheduled to work on the mural in Maui. Fortunately, everything worked out. Now, the Henry Perrine Baldwin High School is in the possession of an art piece that communicates the value of art programs to its budding community of nascent artists.