Williams Elementary students, local artist paint mural

What was once a pair of plain white walls across from the media center at Joseph Williams Elementary School is now a colorful piece of art that symbolizes collaboration, creativity and empowerment.

Williams Elementary School students and a local artist worked together in early May to paint a mural of Michelle Obama and Harriet Tubman meant to inspire students to dream big.

Iryna Kanishcheva, founder of GNV Urban Art and 352walls, was approached by Maya Brown, her son’s second-grade teacher, about an art project she had in mind that could incorporate the students at Williams.

Although Brown envisioned something of a smaller scale, Kanishcheva suggested a mural for the roughly 40-by-10-foot wall space. The project was quickly approved by the school’s principal Jacquatte Rolle.

At the time, the school’s second graders were studying notable women in American history. Brown and Kanishcheva thought Eleanor Roosevelt, Harriet Tubman, Michelle Obama or Malala Yousafzai would be great subjects for the mural.

“I think it is just important in this day and age that we highlight women,” Brown said. “And not just for the little girls, but for the boys as well. It’s just as important for the little boys to see that ‘Hey, women are powerful and intelligent — our true, equal counterparts.’’

Local artist Jenna Horner was asked to paint the mural and she chose Michelle Obama and Harriet Tubman to paint on the walls due to the size of the space she was working with.

By choosing Obama and Tubman as subjects for the mural, it not only became an emblem of female representation, it illustrated important African American history, too.

“In a school that is predominantly black, it’s important to see people who look like you on those walls,” Brown said.

Horner, 26, started the mural around the end of April and completed the piece in a couple of days. She also spent time with the students while helping them in their part of the project.

Eight classes — two from second to fifth grade — were chosen to leave their handprint on a part of the mural. This was one of Horner’s favorite elements of the artwork, she said.

“It united (the students) and created some spirit together working together — like teamwork,” Kanishcheva said.

Surrounding the portraits of Tubman and Obama were freedom quilts, which some historians believe were used to navigate the Underground Railroad, Horner said. The patterns on the quilts were said to have directional queues or symbols of safety and shelter.

“It was a metaphor for small pieces of thread … coming together to paint a bigger picture to be a part of something larger,” Horner said. “Which is really what I think this project is about for me and for those kids.”

The mural also features birds flying off the end of the quilt, which Brown said symbolizes the students, and a quote from Obama.

Brown said she hopes the mural — and witnessing Horner do what she loves while benefiting others — will inspire the students to pursue their creative passions and dream big.

“I hope they dream big, but I also hope they follow through on those same dreams,” Brown said.  “You can do what you love, and you can still make a living at it.”

Follow Victoria Chin on Twitter @_torichin and contact her at vchin@ufl.edu.

Artist Jenna Horner helps students apply paint to their hands. Photo by Iryna Kanishcheva.

 

Teacher Maya Brown stands in front of a portrait of Michelle Obama at Williams Elementary. 

 

A portrait of Michelle Obama and a quote by Obama painted on a wall at Williams Elementary. 

A portrait of Harriet Tubman at Williams Elementary.