A portion of the “It’s A Bug’s Life” glow wall at Pinon Elementary School created by students of art teacher Andrea Lynch. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com
” I want details! I’m not putting blobs on the wall,” Pinon Elementary School art teacher Andrea Lynch says she told her students as they worked on “It’s A Bug’s Life”, a magnificent color-filled glow wall, a treat for the eyes which hung in the school gym and delighted young and old alike.
The glow all is impressive at a distance but gets more striking the closer the spectator gets to it because it is three-dimensional. It features creations from every student at the school and everywhere you look there is an unusual bug or flower made from the most likely materials, most of them recycled. Even the paper used to cover the tables where students painted their work has been used in new shapes on the glow wall.
“I loved the surprise the display caused for everyone. It’s a very happy wall – something we needed this year,” Lynch said.
Lynch is originally from Chile and is well known in the community for her designs in outdoor clothing, pottery, fiber art and all kinds of handmade items. She worked with the YMCA after-school program for more than a dozen years and has been involved with local Recycle Art Fairs and Fashion Shows for many years. Her love of color really got a chance to shine with the glow wall where the work is illuminated by strips of black light along the floor.
Sadly, the artwork had to be taken down Friday but Lynch said she has rolled it up and stored it. Hopefully, it will reappear somewhere……
A message of love, hope and joy from Pinon Elementary School for 2021. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
From a distance, it’s not immediately apparent that most of the flowers and bugs on the wall are multi-dimensional. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Note the branch in the center with flowers and bugs attached. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
The extent of the detail in the artwork created by Pinon Elementary School students is amazing. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
The Los Alamos Reporter spent a long time staring at these beautiful lilies on the glow wall. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Check out the colorful flowers and mysterious bugs on this section of the glow wall. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
A clever use of a paper plate was made for this flower which appears to have a very unusual species of bug on it. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
This pretty good-sized bug was on the floor in front of the glow wall. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Everywhere the Los Alamos Reporter looked, there were new little details to be seen on the glow wall. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Teachers, parents and students all tried to figure out places they could put the glow wall when it was taken down. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
A caterpillar and other critters on a pot. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Check out the details on the butterflies and dragon flies on this portion of the glow wall. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Look at the creativity in the smaller flowers along the bottom of the grass. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
The daffodils appear to really attract bugs! Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Various techniques were used on the butterflies on this portion of the glow wall. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
A photo of the wall from a distance shows its height in comparison to the adults who are checking it out. Photo by Maire O’Neill./losalamosreporter.com
Beautiful colors on this dragon fly. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Another portion of the glow wall showing the amount of work that went into it. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
There are a couple of cheerful caterpillars on this branch. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
This unusual snail caught the Los Alamos Reporter’s eye. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter/com
This unusual bug could certainly startle a gardener! Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
This portion of the glow wall shows the great detail work students did on the project. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
Last but not least, a not so hungry caterpillar. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com