Cathy will lead students to paint a mural in collaboration. Students will learn how to design and create their own stencils and the historical importance of the stencil as an art tool. These stencils will be used by the students to paint a small portion of a larger thematic mural and create a piece to take home. This will allow the students to feel the larger connection to the school community through the collective expression of the mural, while preserving the joy of their personal expression through the smaller art piece. The finished product will be an impactful mural in which every participating student feel pride and connection.

For the greatest impact the artist recommends planning the mural based on a ratio of one student per one square foot of mural space. Each participating class should have 3-4 sessions to execute their individual stencil designs, test their stencils with the individual art project, and use their stencils to paint a portion on the larger mural.

This project can be completed directly on a wall (that is easily accessible to the students) or painted on panels that can be installed once completed. Panels can provide a greater amount of flexibility but may require on-site storage between sessions.

Mural themes could be single grade level curriculum based (like 4th grade cultural history) or multiple grade levels using a broader theme like ecology, STEM, or school spirit.

Once completed and ready for display, the artist will present the finished mural at an event that will allow the students to bring in their individual art pieces and/or stencils and use them to find their artistic contribution to the larger mural. This final presentation will include refections on how we made our own art tools to work together and solve a larger problem (the mural) together as a community.

This program offered by: Cathy Rowe