Towson Catholic High School senior Brittani Perez carefully painted half the white masquerade mask in royal blue, paint specs spattered on her hands. The student’s mask was one of many to adorn a 7-foot Christmas tree which her art class entered in The Festival of the Trees competition over Thanksgiving weekend.
Nineteen art students, members of Towson Catholic’s National Art Honor Society, were involved in the design and creation of two Christmas trees, a wreath, and a gingerbread house. This is the 12th year the school has participated in the Kennedy Krieger Institute benefit, held at the Maryland State Fairgrounds. All entries are displayed and priced for sale.
The design team for this year’s projects was led by senior Breona Byrd, whose gingerbread house designs have won awards the past two years. This year’s theme for the 7-foot gold tree was “Venetian Masquerade,” with various masks painted pale pink, pearl white, purple and gold, and embellished with feathers of the same colors, gold Christmas balls, and pearls snaking around the masks, emulated after decorated masks produced in Venice, Italy. The 2-foot tree boasted Disney princesses and the gingerbread house featured a “Wizard of Oz” theme made of fondant and tinfoil. Snow covered the wreath featuring snowballs and snowmen.
“They’re good designers and it’s a good experience,” said art teacher Sheila Gill, who mentioned Towson Catholic as one of only a few Catholic schools involved; she’d like to see more.
Breona, 17, is the president of the school’s National Art Honor Society. Students must be accepted into the society by submitting portfolios and maintaining a 92 or above average.
It is designed to inspire and recognize those students who show outstanding abilities in art.