As classes settle into the studious rhythm of the new semester, students across the Palo Alto High School campus are found scurrying from one exam to the next. In doing so, many find themselves caught up in the relentless race of academic pursuit, often leaving little time to indulge in personal hobbies and passions. To counterbalance this, Paly hosts Arts in Unusual Places, an annual week-long event where students in VAPA classes share their artistic talents in creative ways throughout campus.
Junior Ami Yamaguchi, a theater and choir student who participated, appreciates the chance to unwind from the busy week.
“[Arts in Unusual Places] is a creative outlet for people who want to display their talent,” said Yamaguchi. “It’s like finding beauty in ordinary things, which is what art is all about.”
Sophomore Keira Ling also found joy in discovering new forms of art that Paly students engage in.
“It’s a reminder of good things and fun in a school like ours, [which] is so focused on academics and rankings,” Ling said.
As a rising Speech and Journalism student with little time to indulge in her childhood passion of drawing, Ling expressed a sense of melancholy in response to the event. Seeing the chalk murals near the 100s building brought a wave of nostalgia.
“I forgot how much I enjoyed leisure drawing and art,” Ling said. “The art displays made simple travels from one class to another more engaging and eye-opening. It’s fun to watch the chalk drawings develop every day.”
For glass blowing teacher Michael Deponte and his students in Paly’s Glass Blowing class, this week presented an opportunity to demonstrate the versatility of their niche medium through a hanging Rain-Drop glass display visible near the Tower Building.
“[Art] doesn’t always have to be something functional that you can drink out of or hold food, but something that is subjective to whoever’s making it,” Deponte said.
Similarly, Paly’s Advanced Theatre classes produced a video project featuring iconic moments from well-known musicals, taking a multimedia approach to showcase the variety and popularity of their genre. Sarah Thermond, director of Paly’s Theatre and Stage-Tech department, noted that the rise of modern musicals such as Mean Girls, Hamilton, and Six, all featured in the video, has broadened the genre’s audience.
“Theater, like all art forms, has so many different styles that there is something for everybody, whether you know it or not,” Thermond said.
Meanwhile, Paly’s Choir program took a more relaxed approach to Arts in Unusual places. On Monday and Thursday, Spectrum Choir singers gathered at the 800s Building during lunchtime to host an open karaoke session, creating a relaxed atmosphere for passing students to enjoy. Sophomore Riddhi Bansal, a Spectrum Choir performer who sang Whitney Houston’s One moment in time during a session, described the intimate experience.
“Music connects people in ways that words cannot, doing karaoke [during this event] gave me the opportunity to present myself and be vulnerable to students at Paly,” Bansal said. “Music isn’t exactly a tangible or physical medium of art… [so it] Bansal said is best expressed and heard in person.”
Having only spent six months at the school, Bansal found a sense of connection to the school community, feeling more welcomed.
“Seeing them accept my imperfect art made me realize the spirit and connection Paly students have with each other and how much art is appreciated here,” Bansal said.
Junior and Paly Art Guild Member Ivy Lee, a visual artist, emphasizes how the event allows students and their individual talents to shine.
“The Paly Art Guild, led by Ms. Kirby, that I am a part of, helped with planning the small events this time aro und,” Lee said. “It was very student focused this year and we plan to make sure it is also student focused next year.”
Yamaguchi voiced her hopes to see Arts in Unusual Places again next year, a sentiment many students share
“I hope to see Paly’s Arts programs growing further in the future because it is important for art to be seen,” Yamaguchi said.
