“Art Club is a place where you can be creative with people who love to be artistic,” explained Barb Brandtner and Denise Rykal, Notre Dame Academy’s Art Club leaders. 

Art teacher Barb Brandtner started Art Club 23 years ago. “When I came to NDA there was no Art Club. I thought it was ridiculous, and I wanted to get students involved ,” said Brandtner. “It used to just be Art in the Afternoon.”

Art Club has roughly 20 students each year, and if you want to stay and be an official member in Art Club you have to meet the requirements. For example, you must be present at six out of nine meetings.

Art Club has open membership for any student to join and is a good opportunity for those who can’t be in art class.

In Notre Dame’s Art Club, you get exposure to different aspects of art. For example, last year the club featured woodworking for the first time. The students each made a birdhouse. Art Club also paints or carves pumpkins around the holidays for festivity.

Art club gives back to the school. The students make items for Triton fest and also donate different items to the school.  Art Club delivers NDA’s message, explained Mrs. Brandtner, and finds a way to help others through their artwork.

The club also has an art contest which is open up to the whole school. Students get to display their work for other students to enjoy.

The Art Club recently started a new project which is rock painting. Some are painting kindness rocks, rocks with a positive or encouraging message to brighten up someone’s day.

“Sometimes Art Club even helped make posters for other clubs,” said Brandtner.

The Art Club is a fun environment where you get to express your individuality and creativity through art. “I love seeing the creativity and what people come up with,” explained Rykal.