MURALS
I create site-specific murals for schools and community spaces. Projects can be professionally painted, muralist-led, or entirely volunteer-painted, depending on the space, budget, goals, and people involved.
I work with schools and community groups to develop the design and figure out the best way to bring it to life -- from working with professional muralists to providing the design and plan to help a volunteer team succeed. Because there is more than one way to make a mural happen.
✦ LAKE FOREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ✦
EL DORADO HILLS
My first school mural. I see this a lot: a banner that has apparently been there “at least seven years.”
For this first attempt, I entrusted Lana with figuring out how to get my design onto the wall. She projected and traced it -- a process that became our first experiment in turning my designs into real-world murals. We only did two murals with projection before moving on to more predictable and consistent methods.
Another old banner, on a plain wall next to plain blacktop.
One teacher called the finished result “sunshine on the campus.” The power of color!
This was a wall that had bothered me for years.
I was especially happy with how I was able to make sense of the quirky facade architecture. The 20-year-old tiles were another challenge as I need to work highlight them -- instead of fighting them. As Amanda was painting, people kept coming up and asking, “Were those tiles there before?” Which just goes to show how our eyes get so adapted to our environment that we stop seeing things -- especially if they are not visually impactful.
This moment gave me so much euphoria: the mural as the backdrop of a town plaza, music playing, and families hanging out or passing through. It was exactly what I envisioned while designing the mural, and I just stood there and soaked it up.
Lake Forest was my first attempt at covering large areas of blacktop **entirely using volunteers**. It wouldn't have happened without Janelle, who organized the volunteers and worked tirelessly for weeks to make it happen.
Janelle on her last day of painting! :)
I originally envisioned a "magic carpet" along this path that many kids walk every morning. Some smart fourth graders suggested a river instead -- and, of course, they were right!
Oak Ridge High School students also came out on their weekend to help paint. The kids are alright! :)
This project was made possible by a grant from the Latrobe Fund through Project Green.
✦ LAKEVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ✦
EL DORADO HILLS
The wall students faced every morning.
With a school name like Lakeview, I thought it was important to visually expand the space and make it feel open and full of possibilities.
One of my goals is to create a cohesive visual language across an entire campus -- like a storybook, where every area students see has its own illustration, but they all come from the same book.
✦ JACKSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ✦
EL DORADO HILLS
I always look for places to improve what students see when they arrive at school for in the morning. I hope to create something welcoming.
This preexisting mural isn't my style, but it was the main communal area where students eat lunch. So I wanted to enhance it and give it a bigger presence, brightening up the whole space.
School portables are ubiquitous around here. This was the first slatted portable wall Lana painted, and we quickly discovered just how time-consuming all those grooves can be.
Before tackling the large volunteer-painted blacktop at Lake Forest, our first asphalt painting was here, with a smaller installation painted by Lana and her husband. I always appreciate that Lana is willing to try new things with me.
This is the first school to install one of my open-play activity paths. I originally imagined it as a way for kids to burn off energy during recess. But I was very happy when the principal told me that, at other times of day, counselors and teachers take students there to use it as a quiet thinking path to decompress.
I had been thinking about designing meditation labyrinths. It turns out, the kids figured out that I'd already made one.
✦ WILLIAM LEE COLLEGE PREP, A FORTUNE SCHOOL ✦
SACRAMENTO
Having students participate in a professionally painted mural adds considerable time to a project, but Fortune School was committed to making it part of the experience. Lana did a great job of incorporating the students into the painting process -- and many of them did not want to stop. :)
I particularly like how the school colors carry through to the students' uniforms. They became part of the mural while they were helping manifest it into reality.
✦ COURTYARD PRIVATE SCHOOL ✦
SACRAMENTO
I've been looking for ways to deal with the cursed chain-link fences that seem to be everywhere around schools. This 70-foot graphic is made from printed 4' × 4' Dibond panels rather than paint.
This was a fully volunteer-painted mural accomplished with minimal blueprints. Instead, I provided exact measurements for the elements and let the team do it all mathematically.
It was another mural designed to welcome students as they arrive at school.
✦ GOLD OAK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ✦
PLACERVILLE
I provided the blueprints and paint colors, and Mr. Boyd executed the design on panels at home during the week between Christmas and New Year's. A contractor friend helped him install them. I have yet to meet Mr. Boyd in person. :)
✦ PLEASANT VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL ✦
PLACERVILLE
One of my more ambitious murals in terms of execution—probably a little too ambitious for the students who had to paint it. :) But they pulled it off.
The design was developed with the student beautification team. They suggested the theme, reviewed the designs, and worked through several iterations with me before sending three options to the staff for a final vote.
I like projects where students have a real hand in shaping what ends up on their walls.
✦ JOHNSON POOL ✦
ROSEVILLE
My first design for the City of Roseville, awarded through a competitive Call to Artists.
Lana and Amanda had a short amount of time to make it happen, and they executed it beautifully.
✦ WILLIAM BROOKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ✦
EL DORADO HILLS
This project was led by two mothers, Michelle and Melissa, who spent a week painting with volunteers. As is often the case, they were nervous at first -- but before long, they were confidently running the project themselves.
This design looks simple, but I wanted to take the slats into account, so every element had to be carefully laid out to avoid visual interruptions -- notice how the claws miss the slats. My favorite detail is the vertical line running down the slat on the back hind leg. When I saw that it landed exactly where I had intended, I knew my measurements were correct to the 1/4 inch. Very satisfying. :)
✦ OAK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL ✦
EL DORADO HILLS
For elementary school students, I ask questions and use their answers to inform my designs.
For middle school, I treat the students as my clients and run through multiple rounds of the design process with their feedback.
For high school, I take more of a back seat and empower students take the lead -- advising on design and installation to ensure they have the right plan, and the tools to be successful.
Kate (on the left) led the design and execution of this mural. By the end of painting week, I was convinced she could run a mural herself. Luckily, she was able to work with me the next summer as an intern and assistant!
✦ PLACER VALLEY SOCCER COMPLEX ✦
ROSEVILLE
Mural #2 in Roseville, again awarded through a competitive process.
Lana and Amanda executed it with their usual precision.
I was especially pleased to be awarded the second side of the wall. That was by no means guaranteed, as the competition was evidently fierce.
✦ BUCKEYE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ✦
SHINGLE SPRINGS
Buckeye Elementary wanted to reference its heritage as the first school in the area, established in the Gold Rush era. I used historical colors, fonts, and imagery to bring that history into the design.
Because the mural is highly visible from the road and nearby activity areas, it has become part of the identity of both the school and the surrounding community
This area is used for student awards as well as free play for the kids. I wanted to give it more presence and make it feel special. I'm calling these “ribbon murals.” Thanks to Lana for trying the first one with me. Turns out, they are considerably more work than they look!
✦ OAK MEADOW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL✦
EL DORADO HILLS
The school wanted to soften and calm the campus, so I used natural motifs and stayed away from primary colors. Sometimes the right design isn't loud.
✦ CAMINO BOYS & GIRLS CLUB ✦
CAMINO
Before creating the design, I interviewed the kids about what mattered to them. One suggested “Be Kind” as a motto. They were also interested in the garden and bees, so I pulled those ideas together.
The project was accomplished by me, Kate, and volunteers, with the club kids themselves contributing along the way.
✦ ROYER PARK, ROSEVILLE✦
In partnership with the Dry Creek Conservancy,
Sierra Club of Placer County, and the City of Roseville
More than 100 amazing volunteers painted this mural over the course of several weeks.
I loved watching the community take ownership of it as it came together. In addition to the great volunteers coming out to beautify their community, the public's enjoyment of -- and interaction with -- the mural grew as we were painting it. By the final day, parents were stopping with their kids to trace the salmon's progress through its life cycle.
My hope is that the mural will help people connect with the natural world around them.
✦ GREEN VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ✦
CAMERON PARK
I provided the design and plan and helped Maryrose get the project started.
Sometimes my role is to launch things and then step back to let others take over, knowing that I've given them the tools to do the job themselves.
✦ ROSEVILLE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY ✦
In partnership Community Mural Project
l designed this mural specifically to be painted by city and library staff, along with participation from the public.
A single big community painting day.
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