This year West St. John High School’s National Art Honor Society students were lucky enough to be participants in the Celebration in the Oaks Children’s Christmas Tree Program. Brainstorming for the theme began in late October. After the brainstorming NAHS members voted on their favorite theme and selected Jose Perez’s “Twilight in the Big Easy” concept. 

Building on Jose’s ideas students Rachelle Cannon, Laterence Mitchell, Karly Morris,and Marvin Pierre did what they do best, which is create. They sketched out concepts using the tree as a very large canvas. They then recreated the night sky by painting a large moon, which now hangs near the top of the tree.

To aid in the feel of twilight, iridescent stars created from foil tissue fill the branches. A painted Mississippi River wraps around the tree while the Steamboat Natchez floats nearby. The New Orleans skyline complete with Superdome and Greater New Orleans Bridge wraps around the center. The students had a great time hanging their handmade ornaments.