Wauconda High students work on new store mural

Maria Weisbruch had plenty of volunteers to paint a mural in her new wine shop in downtown Wauconda, but she knew right away who would do the work.

The Wauconda High School graduate wanted high-schoolers to handle the project at her Bliss Wine & Gifts store.

"It's my community and I wanted it (the mural) to be something special, and we'll say forever and ever it's from the high school," Weisbruch said. "We're part of the town now, and it's a nice thing to say the high school did it."

Three Wauconda High School seniors and their art teacher, Rebecca Luri, are working on the mural as a summer project. Luri described it as a great opportunity for all involved.

"It's good for the community, it's a good opportunity for our students and it's a good opportunity for me as an art teacher to direct a mural and have that under my belt," she said.

Luri sees this project as a unique way to teach her students more about painting. The students studied landscapes and researched in preparation.

"We made the list of ideas that everyone threw out and made a list of ideas of how everything would fit together and we eliminated things and added things and picked colors. One thing at a time, then it all just fit together," said Rachel Engler, one of the student artists.

Weisbruch is giving the students a lot of freedom with the project. Her idea of having a balcony overlooking a vineyard is the inspiration for the mural, but besides that she is leaving all the creative decisions to the students.

"I kind of am giving them complete free reign. No deadlines, no nothing," Weisbruch said.

The mural will feature a vineyard complete with rolling hills and mountains accompanied by a brick border. Luri likes how the mural shows where wine comes from. Like painting, Luri said, making wine is a process and an art.

For the students, this is the first time they have done something with this big of a presence.

"(This is a) real experience. It's not just a project assigned in class. We're in a real store. This is a real mural," Luri said.

All the students are taking time out of their summer to do this, and are learning a lot in the process.

"It's cool to be able to collaborate with other people and make a really cool piece of art," said Zach Swearingen, one of the student artists.

The mural is located in the back of the shop that features a bar and tables, which are for private parties and wine tastings. It will also be turned into a small art gallery where artwork from students and community members will be sold.

Bliss Wine and Gifts opened its doors at the end of May on Wauconda's Main Street. Weisbruch described the store as "more than I ever dreamed (it would be)."

The students are hoping to complete the mural by the end of the summer.