Fantasy creatures come alive in art students hands. The concept for a project may have been odd but art students got creatiave.

“The art lesson was to morph animals with insects from land, air and sea with vertebrates,” art teacher Raul Monarrez said.  

Odd as it may sound, art students pushed the limits to make hybrid masterpieces.

“Some students elaborate on their projects by using raw materials like egg shells, cowhide, and feathers,” Monarrez said.

Recycled materials became raw material.

“Plastic bottles, paper rolls, discarded foam, paper mache and cardboard all go into the making,” Monarrez said.

The masks were definitely not done in a few hours. It took students a few weeks to finish the masks and each week was a next step to the process.

“It took five weeks. They had to start with a balloon and cover it with newspaper and that’s what they had to start off with,” Monarrez said.

The masks have both a functional and nonfunctional use.

“The students made two types of masks. One could be used to wear or for use as a decoration,” Monarrez said.

A few student’s artwork qualified for regionals at an art competition.

“Eight students advanced to the regional competition and I hope we will take more to state,” Monarrez said.