1. Hard earned wisdom in community building through art
Diary of a mural maker
Hard earned wisdom in community building through art

2. New place ...New Faces Yikes... How do I make a connection?
Brief biography...came to Oak Grove. Filling some pretty big shoes.
Wanted to make a big impression. Hung at Open house, before I met the kiddos.
They wrote/drew what they wanted me to know about them.

3. Shape Mural
Always worked in big paper. Seems natural for kids. Started with one class. Consecutive classes added more shapes.
Last class outlined shapes with black. Easy, quick. Done on a rainy day.

4. Mural Making...Eric Carle
Worked with a local artist....two grade levels. Focus was on Eric carle. (classroom read his books, etc). All done in one day.
KK painted the animal shapes(drawn by local artist) , 1st graders painted backgrounds. 5th grade helpers cut them out , I mod podged them together during post planning. Created 5 large pieces.

5. Eric Carle

6. I couldn’t help it...Eric Carle Mural MOVIE

9. 30th Anniversary Of our School Mural
This fall we celebrated our 30 year in our building. Friday’s art classes brainstormed things that everyone in
Oak Grove was familiar with...the nurse, nacho wednesday, playground, checking out books, pizza. Running.
As a final touch, Monday’s classes wrote the number 30 with copper sharpie to fill the tree.

10. 30th Year Celebration of Oak Grove Elementary School

11. School Mural Fall
So, I began to think...they is little unsupervised time between kids(grade levels). I wanted to create something EVERONE
Could see and be a part of .
SO, I rolled out about 35 ft of hideous bright orange paper, flipped it over and stapled it to the wall. Then, I thought for a while.
I noticed that as some students leave the art studio they noticed the tornado procedure schematic on the wall. The recogntion of where they are on the map. So, I took one of those and painted the line of the schematic on the paper.
First week; everyone made themselves and their classroom.
Second week...something else(we talked about other areas of the school...gym, lunchroom, principal’ office.
Third week....something 3 D.
4th week....It was pretty full. So I asked what else can we do to it?? We then sectioned off the background and 5th graders painted one area.
I sliced some areas for weaving.

12. 4 rotations
It began to have a life of its own. Kiddos would show me where they were on the mural. Some would make things at home and attach.
Some worried about the mural and repaired areas during art. Others didn’t. Kiddos were always finding themselves on the mural.

13. Final Product
I took it down at Christmas. We had done all we could to it. We talked about it alot. It created a lot of conservations about who created what on the mural. Children got to know other children from different grade levels because of their creations on the mural.

14. In Process

15. Kelsey Montague mural....spring 2017
Third grade studied interactive murals...we then created a mural in the style of Kelsey Montague. It is going to hang
Somewhere in the county this summer for others to enjoy.
Kelsey Montague mural....spring 2017

16. I learned.... Its best to just have a general plan.
Try not be too specific.
Relax. It doesn’t have to be gorgeous. You are creating community via art.
Talk about the mural with the kids. Decide together next steps.
I had to let go of my perceived idea of perfection a long time ago. I encourage to try them...they are so fun and the kids LOVE making big statements on paper. Start simple.

17. Ideas for community building....
Joke mural....
Mural of the school.
Mural of the class.
Mural of a specific place in the school.
Mural of a book that everyone is reading.
Make someone else in charge of the mural.
Create a team that decides what is next.