You may have noticed the painted figures popping up around the halls of Randall. Some are holding books, some are running, and others are simply standing still. You might be wondering why these odd works of art are showing up all of the sudden. The art 1 classes as well as art club are creating these pieces inspired by the artist Keith Haring.

Keith Haring was an American street artist whose work primarily focused on New York culture in the 1980’s. His style would be referred to as contemporary or pop art. His work covered important social issues such as birth, death, sexuality, and war. Haring’s inspirations included influential artists such as Pablo Picasso, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Walt Disney.

So, why are art students creating these figures? The art teachers at Randall believe that it is important to expose students to art culture that they might not otherwise know about. It is just as important to be able to recognize and appreciate an iconic piece of art as it is to memorize a math equation.

To create these stick people, students take a large, thin piece of paper and draw the person in whichever pose they choose, Then they pick out bright, fun colors to paint them in, similar to color schemes used by Haring. After they have finished painting them, the students outline them with either marker or black paint in order to really make everything stand out. After they are done, they hang up their masterpieces around the school.

So whether you’re freaked out by the bright stick figures who seem to be following you everywhere or you enjoy the colorful additions to the hallways, now you know the story behind them.