An annual project for Lisa French's drawing class and Brandi Lumby's American History II classes at Neelyville High School has received a lot more attention than ever expected.
In recognition of the 100th anniversary of World War I, the two classes painted their own version of a piece named "Tommy" by Richard Harpum to be displayed during the school's Veteran's Day assembly.
"It just grew two legs and walked off," said NHS senior Kaylee Williams after the painting debuted.
"Tommy" depicts a WWI soldier wading through a field of poppies in France some time during the 1914-1918 Great War.
The two classes came across the photo and knew it would be the inspiration for this year's project with a "twist."
"It's so pretty, we just knew we had to redo it," Williams said.
The American History II classes took time to find and print photographs representing the WWI era and pasted them as the sky's background. The remainder of the painting was done by the drawing class.
Williams, along with classmates Summer Rohrer and Xin Wen Zhang Liu were on the forefront of the project taking the lead for the 6' x 7' painting.
The three classmates spent many hours after school painting thousands of poppies and blades of grass.
"I really wanted to help paint and work on the project," Rohrer said. "We were definitely the most interested and willing to put the time in."
Zhang Liu, a Chinese exchange student from Mexico, said she worked on paintings at her school before coming to NHS, but this was the largest painting she had helped complete.
"There were so many poppies," Zhang Liu recalled with a smile.
Zhang Liu's classmates described her as "extremely talented" and praised her work on the solider in the painting, which became "her baby."
Williams and Rohrer put a lot of time in on the poppies and blades of grass while mixing paint colors for classmates to keep the project uniform.
The poppies on the mural are a symbol of remembrance of the many soldiers. The yellow ribbon, which can be seen on one of the trees towards the back of the landscape, symbolizes support for America's soldiers and for POW/MIA.
Lumby's American History II classes worked to find photos representative of the WWI era through assignments.
To prevent duplicate photos, Lumby said she assigned her classes to find photos on the Victory Celebration, weapons and artillery and more.
"We wanted to have a variety and it be interesting to look at," she said. "It was like a big puzzle."
The photos were then spread out and mod podged onto the canvas skyline.
Once completed, "Honor" was debuted at the NHS Veteran's Day assembly and the crowd took notice.
"That was by far the most praise we had received in the past five years," Lumby said crediting much to the three students.
French and Lumby both agreed the painting was their favorite piece of artwork ever presented at the Veteran's Day assembly.
The crowd began to inquire where the painting would be heading after the assembly.
Normally not a long term project, no immediate plans were made for the painting, but many suggestions were presented.
Suggestions of auctioning off the painting were presented to the group, but French said it had already been decided to donate the piece of art to the VA Hospital.
Since the assembly, the painting has been displayed at the Stars and Stripes Museum in Bloomfield, Mo., the Valentines for Veterans Concert and back to the museum.
Veteran Emmett Morgan, Lumby's stepfather, has picked up the painting and delivered it to the different stops.
"Once Emmett got the painting, it went from there," French said. "He has been a big part of helping us get it circulated."
While French said she is not exactly sure where the painting will end up, it's still making the rounds.
"It's kind of like it has its own show," Lumby added.
Describing the painting as "probably the best thing" she has done, Williams thought the crowd would enjoy the piece, but never expected it to reach this type of popularity.
"I loved working on the project with my friends," Rohrer said. "We have talked about doing more murals together."
Since the sudden popularity of the painting, the three girls are excited to know if they decide to continue a career in art, they have one piece under their belt.
With the bar set high, French is not 100 percent sure what direction they will go for next year's project.
During the Valentines for Veterans concert last month, French said Robert Wake, of the Wake Foundation, told her Vietnam veterans expressed interest in the painting.
"A lot of Vietnam veterans really showed interest and want us to do a project based on their era," French said.
Rohrer, a junior at NHS, will be a part of next year's project and said discussion is underway to start early, possibly before the end of the school year.
"Wen can't leave and Kaylee will have to come back after graduation," Lumby joked while thinking ahead to next year's project.