Student-created art cars ready to ride in legendary Houston parade 

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It’s the 30th anniversary of the popular Art Car Parade, and as usual, many HISD students will be riding in art cars they have been working on for weeks, if not months.

Nearly 250 cars, bikes, skaters, and motorized creations will roll through downtown Houston beginning at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 8. Generally, the parade lasts about two hours. For those who want to get jump on the parade, join the “Starting Line Party” presented by Arts Brookfield at 11 a.m. at the corner of Smith and Pease streets. For the parade route and complete details, see Houston Art Car Parade.

Arabic Immersion Magnet School (AIMS) is expanding on the school’s owl mascot-themed car from last year by adding a spinning globe with flags representing many countries around the world. Their theme of diversity will be further augmented by an international music component.

Energy Institute High School is driving a truck they created for Super Bowl LI in partnership with Noble Energy. Artist Julian Luna worked with Energy teachers Jordan Phillips and Julie Lockhart training students on a laser cutter. Eight dedicated students worked for more than two weeks to cover the truck in acrylic cubes laser-cut with images of items made from petroleum. The cubes are lined with LED lights, making the entire truck light up.

Northside High School is celebrating the 90th anniversary of their school by covering the car in yearbook photos to honor all the students who attended Northside over the years. “We believe strongly in our community, and we have learned that when we work together, we can accomplish more,” said art teacher Ann Bass. “Our car celebrates our history, our community, and the creative process.”

Rebecca Bass at Heights High School can’t say enough good things about the students in her Art Car class who have been working nonstop for weeks on “Purple Reign,” which features Prince and Sheila E. “These artists are beyond incredible,” she said. “They worked all day today (Tuesday) in the hot sun, and they are incredibly close to finishing their gorgeous art car. I am so proud of them.”

Four Houston Academy for International Studies seniors are creating “Faith, Fate, Fragility,” which uses the life cycle of the butterfly as a metaphor for the transitions in life. “The butterfly embodies these ideas by showing how it must first pass through the challenges of the growth cycle before it can become it’s greatest self,” said artist LaVita Rue, who is overseeing the project.

This 2007 Yamaha Morphous 250cc scooter was designed by Hamilton Middle School 8th grader Luis Morales and transformed into “The Morphoenix” by Ms. Hernandez’ 7th and 8th-grade art classes.

A 2013 Stella Automatic scooter titled “Puzzles and Pi” was designed by the Hamilton Middle School’s SLC autism class with variations of mathematics included by Ms. Burkholder’s math classes. It was put together with the help of Ms. Hernandez’s art students.

Here is a list of participating HISD schools, including the names of their art cars:

  • Arabic Immersion Magnet School: “The AIMS Flying Globe”
  • Energy High School: “The Noble Energy Truck”
  • Frank Black Middle School: “The Hyppalectroyon’s Candy Dream”
  • Hamilton Middle School: (Ms. Hernandez’s art class): “The Morphoenix”
  • Hamilton Middle School: (SLC & Math classes): “Puzzles and Pi”
  • Heights High School: “Purple Reign”
  • Houston Academy of International Studies: “Faith, Fate, Fragility”
  • Lovett Elementary School: “5-4-KEY-2-1!!!!!”
  • Meyerland Performing & Visual Arts Middle School: “The Bat Jeep”
  • Meyerland Performing & Visual Arts Middle School: “The Duckmobile”
  • Northside High School: “The Chronicles of Northside”