Art With Mrs. Andress

Georgia O’Keffe once defined an artist as someone who takes something plain and turns it into something beautiful. The students at Nottingham Elementary School have done just that by turning a plain white hallway into a stunning work of art.

In 2006 I asked permission to paint a mural surrounding the entrance to the garden. A generous grant from the C. X. Carlson Cultural Trust provided funding for the all-school project. Forty-two enthusiastic third grade students joined one of three after school art clubs and set about painting the mural. The idea was to create a mural featuring the same native plants, trees and shrubs that can be found in the garden. The next step was to create hundreds of clay tiles cut out in the shapes of leaves, flowers and insects to add three-dimensional touches to the mural. Every student in the school made a tile during their art class that became a part of our mural. The results were spectacular and the students were so proud of their accomplishments. But the other side of the wall was still white.

Fast forward to 2010 when art teachers Karen Andress and Samantha McGinn made the decision to create another all-school mural. Two generous gifts from the Hartman family and the C.X. Carlson Cultural Trust provided the funding for the project. As with phase one, phase two began with two art clubs researching our theme. Our challenge was to create another mural that had the same style and feeling of the original mural, but would allow these energetic artists freedom to add their own ideas and personal touches to the space. As work progressed on our 117 foot mural, talented young artists painted bird feeders, a bird bath, a garden bench with potted plants and a watering can. Native rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, salamanders, snakes and turtles peek out from their hiding places among native wildflowers, rocks and trees.

Every child in grades three and four made a tile for the mural. Each classroom was given a different theme. Some created insects while other classes made flowers or leaves. Art club members got to create animal tiles. As the work progressed, some students visited the mural every day to see what new things had been added or to search for the stink bug that is hidden in the mural.

The results of this five year project are amazing. We are so proud of our students. Please visit Nottingham and see the mural for yourself.