The Branford High School (BHS) Art Club was honored at the October 25 Suwannee County School Board Meeting for their Cedar Plank Art Project.
BHS was contacted in November 2015, by the High Springs Historical Society to take part in a special project with the Smithsonian Institute Traveling Water/Ways Exhibit. In January 2016, several art teachers met together in Fort White with the Historical Society director to discuss the project. According to the BHS Art Club Sponsor, Vaster Fryar, the students were excited about the project and were assigned Peacock Springs.
A plank of a cedar tree was pulled from the Santa Fe River and brought to BHS to create the back ground for a mural of their choice. Fryar said the hardest part of the project was having the students pick what they wanted to paint on the plank. Fryar said, “After much discussion amongst a group of four students, they came up with a plan and worked together to create a tribute to the Suwannee River and the springs in our area.”
Jessica Bowman, Ben Bowman, Crystal Stevens, and Ian Javier are the four students who worked to create the river, springs, and the environment on the plank. The plank returned to the High Springs Historical Society and was on display all summer with the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit. The plank was returned to BHS in September and is currently on display at the Suwannee County School Board District Office.
Fryar said, "This was a wonderful experience for all of the art students, not just the ones who painted the plank. Working with the Historical Society was a pleasure."