Art students from Bellefonte and Central Mountain painted the seasonal displays in both communities, continuing a long-standing Bellefonte custom and expanding public art through a new CMHS course offered this year.

Between the two schools, more than 50 students were involved in the project.

Across the communities, 20 stores received artworks, which depict winter motifs like Christmas trees, gingerbread men, snowmen, gifts and ornaments.

In Lock Haven, students in the CMHS Art Club and the school’s new Art in Public Places course decorated the Clinton County Economic Partnership building, Give Back: Community Thrift Store, Main Street Grill and It Is What It Is.

PHOTO PROVIDED Two BAHS students are seen at the storefront window of Suds in the Bucket Laundry which they were painting.

The group included students Derek Shope, Faith Sheasley, Emily Shaffer, Sophia Reitz, Ashlyn Miller, Emma Scarborough-Perez, Devin Hefferon, Isabelle Scanlan, Zoe McElroy, Caden Peterson, Wyatt McCullough, Dakota Oglesby, Anna Rainey, Bailey Jackman and Kylie Welch, who worked under the supervision of CMHS art teachers Ashley Rippey and Beth Keiser.

In Bellefonte, 40 students, led by high school art teachers Heather McClure and Erin Welsh, decorated windows at 16 local businesses and organizations. Their work appeared at the YMCA, Bonfatto’s, Black Diamond Barber, Suds in the Bucket, and Mel’s Laundromat, as well as Stone State Farm, the Brockerhoff, the Wok, Korman Homes, Brother’s Pizza, Smith and Front, All State, Happy Wraps, Suzanne’s Fine Cuts, Frame Factory and Centre County Library.

At BAHS, the window-painting tradition was passed down by former high school art teacher Meg Barton, who previously led the activity with her Senior Institute students.

The public art project has taken place since at least the late 1990s, and each year the number of participating businesses continues to grow.

PHOTO PROVIDED A Bellefonte High School student participating in the window painting project is seen in the window of the Centre County Office of Housing.

PHOTO PROVIDED Pictured are finished windows at Give Back: A Community Thrift Store in Lock Haven.