Cooper Students Dive into Meow Wolf’s Art World
Immersive Art Sparks Creativity for Inkblots Students
The John Cooper School’s commitment to developing the whole child came to life when the Literature and Art Magazine Publication class —Upper School students dedicated to curating and designing the school’s annual volume of Inkblots Magazine—embarked on a field trip to Meow Wolf: Radio Tave, an immersive art experience. The visit gave students the opportunity to explore how diverse art forms—graphic design, storytelling, and print media—can come together in a dynamic, interactive space, directly inspiring their work for this year’s Inkblots publication.
Meow Wolf’s vibrant, multidimensional installations provided Cooper Dragons with an up-close look at the integration of design and narrative. Through interactive exhibits, they were able to observe how color schemes, typography, and nonlinear storytelling come together to create immersive experiences.
"Seeing the way Meow Wolf blends design and storytelling through multi-media art was really eye-opening," said Iris Alviar ‘25. "It gave me new ideas for how we can connect different pieces of art and literature in Inkblots, creating a more immersive experience for our readers."
This immersive art experience offered an unparalleled opportunity for Dragons to engage in experiential learning by immersing themselves in a world of innovative storytelling and multidimensional design. The interactive art installations and narrative-driven exhibits challenge students to think beyond traditional forms of communication, encouraging them to explore how visuals, textures, and spaces can convey complex ideas and emotions.
The trip also reinforced the School’s core values by encouraging:
- Creativity and Innovation: "I never realized how much freedom you can have in design," said Annabelle Boyd ‘25. "Meow Wolf challenged my thinking about how to approach our own Inkblots layouts. It’s all about pushing boundaries and thinking outside the box."
- Collaboration: The experience emphasized teamwork Meow Wolf’s installations are the result of multiple creative minds coming together. "Knowing that many artists at Meow Wolf worked together to build such a complex world made me appreciate our own collaborative process with Inkblots," noted Jessica Zhang ’25.
- Critical Thinking: The nonlinear, interactive exhibits at Meow Wolf also sparked deeper critical thinking in students, encouraging them to consider new ways to tell stories. "The way the narrative unfolded in unexpected ways was so engaging," said Raj Davis ‘27. "It made me think about how we can make Inkblots more interactive and let readers explore stories on their own terms."
By witnessing the creative process behind Meow Wolf’s immersive environments, students gain insights into collaborative design, problem-solving, and the power of multimedia to craft compelling experiences. This hands-on exposure broadens their understanding of design principles and inspires innovative approaches to their own creative projects.
This field trip embodied The John Cooper School’s philosophy of nurturing well-rounded individuals. By connecting classroom learning with hands-on, real-world experiences, the students were able to see how different creative disciplines come together to form an immersive, cohesive experience.
As the Dragons get back to work on the 28th edition of the Inkblots publication, they carry fresh inspiration from Meow Wolf, excited to weave new ideas and perspectives into this year’s issue. Ms. Erica Concienne, the Literature and Arts Magazine Publication teacher, shared her enthusiasm: “What we experienced will undoubtedly inspire and elevate our publication in exciting new ways.”
The John Cooper School
From Curiosity to Wisdom
The John Cooper School is an independent, non-sectarian, co-educational, college preparatory day school. Our mission is to provide a challenging education in a caring environment to a diverse group of select students, enabling them to become critical and creative thinkers, effective communicators, responsible citizens and leaders, and lifelong learners.
The John Cooper School seeks to attract qualified individuals of diverse backgrounds to its faculty, staff, and student body. The School does not discriminate against any individual in admissions, educational programs, personnel policies, general practices, or employment, on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, physical disability, or age.
The John Cooper School seeks to attract qualified individuals of diverse backgrounds to its faculty, staff, and student body. The School does not discriminate against any individual in admissions, educational programs, personnel policies, general practices, or employment, on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, physical disability, or age.
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