New Hope Academy’s Art Department has been taking semi-annual trips to Peddler’s Village for several years now, however, this year’s was extra special, as it came with a new motivation: admiring and garnering votes for NHA’s very own scarecrow. “Wise Old Owl,” NHA’s official scarecrow submitted in the “Traditional” category, was created by Yardley art teachers Jen Miller and Jeanne Nahill, who had been working on this piece for several weeks. The process was long, demanding work, especially for Jen Miller, who is allergic to hay, an integral part of making scarecrows. “Dee (Rufe) was a huge help,” Jen states, “Tara (Giles) also gave us the hay, and drove the scarecrow to dropoff.” Inspired by NHA itself, “Wise Old Owl” features a frame built from wood, a paper mache head inspired by vintage styled pumpkins, and waterproof cardboard wings, making it a feat to remember for both the Yardley and Doylestown Art Departments.
During the actual trip itself, students were encouraged to walk around and shop throughout all of Peddler’s Village whilst immersing themselves in the fall environment. It was a gorgeous, sunny day; perfect for observing all of the scarecrows, including a fan favorite Nosferatu-themed scarecrow. A popular location was The Cloak and Wand, a store with a spooky vibe featuring fantastical gifts and trinkets, as well as quirky drinks that could be sipped while perusing around the village. Another hotspot, JaZams, was a quaint toy store with a wide selection many students enjoyed browsing, and had a holy grail catalogue of some students’ latest obsession, Smiskis and Sonny Angels. The group got lunch all together at The Buttonwood Grill, where they feasted on anything from appetizer plates to pizzas and burgers, all the while enjoying each other’s company and debriefing on their eventful day.
Including NHA’s own scarecrow, all of the categories featured creative and inspired work, which motivated students to carry on some of those artistic techniques into their own classrooms. Senior Jacky Cruz’s favorite scarecrow was a chicken jockey themed “Minecraft” scarecrow, featuring a baby zombie placed loyally on top of a pixel chicken. However, Jeanne and Jen stated that the best part of the trip was simply witnessing both campuses come together in unity for a fun day, bonding with people they may not have normally seen and spoken to. “Not only are we looking forward to winning,” Jeanne stated, “but we’re also looking forward to doing it again next year.”
ana.torres@newhopeacademy.net
