The lunch bell rings, and students scatter out of classrooms and gyms. During the stampede, a few students break off from the norm, and make the journey to various clubs offered at Paly. But there are almost no students heading towards the art club, which meets on Tuesdays in room PS1. It remains, for the most part, undiscovered by the majority of the student body.

Currently, there are about seven to ten members in the club. This count fluctuates due to events the club sponsors. To attract more members, the club has taken up passing out fliers. Fliers currently on the library doors and on bulletin boards across campus have helped, as, according to Junior Alex Provo, co-president of the club, the last meeting had the biggest turnout yet. “We had six new members,” Provo said.

Still, there could be more. Senior Larkin Elderon, co-president, attributes the low attendance rate to the intimidation attached to art. “People are often intimidated by art because it seems different,” Elderon said. “People don’t realize how far art goes beyond realistic drawing.”

In the past, the club has run a school-wide art contest, designed notecards for the PTSA, and made homecoming decorations both this year and last year. This year, members made cloud decorations for the gym.

Potential projects include film screenings, chalk drawing events, career speakers, sketching field trips, and doing monthly profiles of modern artists, which include doing some art in the artist’s style. The leaders plan on doing mostly 20th century artists, unless club members demonstrate interest in earlier periods of art history.

Provo also stressed that art appreciation is just as much a part of the art club as art creation, stating that members only have to enjoy art to be a part of the club. She added that the plan of doing monthly projects on artists was one of the ways that the club would cater to the art appreciation part of the club.

During a typical meeting, members brainstorm future projects or work on a current project. Mrs. Eng, the club advisor, has her role limited to providing some advice, art facts, and occasional invitations for the art club to create decorations. “I see my role as being available, I don’t plan activities for them,” Eng said.

Currently, the club’s sources of funds are bake sales and donations from individuals or local art stores. A bake sale was held last year to acquire funds to purchase art supplies and prizes for the art contest. However, the activities that the club has held so far haven’t required much money.

The lack of art classes may also indirectly help the art club. For example, AP Art History has already been cut for the current year; only 17 students signed up, not meeting the 25 student requirement for the class to be offered. This means that without as many creative outlets from the school, people must go to other places to let out their creative talents. The art club becomes a suitable choice. Provo also acknowledges that it’s possible that cuts could result in a higher turnout, as long as people realize that the art club exists to fill their needs.

In regards to the importance of the art club as an outlet, Eng said, “It gives a chance for kids to express themselves outside of the classroom.”