Brookland-Cayce High School art teacher Michelle Giovannone looks for ways to share her students’ works not only around the school, but around the community.

Her students’ latest projects — three painted nature-themed picnic tables — are found in prominent and popular spots in Cayce: the new Art Lot and Guignard Park.

Giovannone said she was excited for the opportunity for her students.

“Over the past year, publicly displaying artwork has been difficult because of COVID-19,” she said. 

Giovannone said they wanted to theme the paintings with things Cayce is known for, and the riverfront and nature came to mind. Students researched native plants and animals and got some ideas from the city. 

It took about a month to complete the painting work. Among the Brookland-Cayce students who painted the tables were Rachel Rish, Alex Rivera, Yareth Santos-Melo, Paw Soe, Hunter Stalions, Olivia Warren, May Wah, Cristal Velasquez-Soto, Kaylee Thornton, Madison Williams,  Gavin Taylor, Skyla Boozer, Andrea Castellanos-Morenos, Roberto Domingo-Sales,  Paige Golden, Stephanie Gonzales-Avila, Jordan Jones, Brianna Gray, Jack Latham, Samantha Mack, Keith Oswald and Gladys Mejia Mejia. Five students from the Lexington Two Innovation Center built the picnic tables: Michael Daniels-Mack, Javier Estrada-Abad, Jared Hiers, Jason Ramos-Gomez, and Malik Williams. 

Giovannone — who likes to offer her students opportunities to participate in yarnbombings, State Fair and other contests — said it’s more important than ever to find avenues to share her students’ talents. 

“It is important to me as a teacher, especially since we live so close to downtown and West Columbia and Cayce, to make students aware that they can incorporate their art into the blueprint of the surrounding areas where they live and go to school,” Giovannone said.  “I want them to see their art outside of the classroom walls.”