Euclid Elementary and High School Students Team Up to Create Sneaker Art

On view in the lobby of City Hall through April 2017, “The Traveling Shoe Show” is a collaboration between Euclid City Schools’ Arbor Elementary and Euclid High School’s Visual Communication students.

View Image Gallery

Be inspired to step up your sneakers with “The Traveling Shoe Show”, now on view in the lobby of Euclid’s City Hall.

Earlier this year, art teacher Jennifer Douglas’ fifth grade students at Arbor Elementary partnered with art teacher Edith Mellen’s Visual Communication students at Euclid High School to design and paint shoes reflective of their interests and experiences.  Each grouping of students first designed their pair of shoes through hand sketches and computer renderings, before the high school students took a paint brush to unusual canvas. The cross-collaboration taught invaluable skills working as a diverse team as well as produced whimsically detailed, colorful shoes almost too incredible to wear!

Van Monroe -  a Euclid High School Distinguished Alumni award recipient and renowned shoe painter – spoke to the classes as a guest speaker. Mr. Monroe shared his story of success as a respected visual artist in face of life’s adversities. Among other accomplishments, his shoes featuring former U.S. President Barack Obama are on display at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C.

Dozens of pairs of student-painted sneakers and additional information on the project is visible in the display case at City Hall, opposite the main desk.  The show will be up through April 2017. City Hall is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30am-5pm. Please contact Jennifer Douglas with inquiries about how to display these shoes in your facility, or purchase a pair.