Project Outline

The composite sketch which combines all the kids’ sketches into one mural.

Finished mural. Minor dilema. We thought the height was 10′.  It was only 8′ deep.  We accepted the challenge and conquered it!

Jayne Rose and Debbie Thompson did a mural in the Children’s waiting room of the Lee County Courthouse (Dixon, Illinois) in the “Little Prince” theme in the summer of 2006. Mary Huffman remembered that mural and wanted to do something that involved some of the kids in the Juvenile Probation system.

After a meeting with Debbie and her daughter Arin, they developed the following outline of the current “Mural Project.”

• Debbie will gather a wide variety of artist’s interpretations of trees. The main focus will be fine art paintings of trees done in unique and colorful ways. The trees will be realistic in feeling and appearance. The photographs will come from several professional art magazines
• Debbie and Arin will do miniature tree paintings using the same materials as the students. They will look at the same group of pictures as the students. By doing this the students will see how to paint and interpret these images.
• Arin and Debbie will gather materials for the painting session, both class and mural project. Receipts will be kept and submitted to the court’s building
• Arin will do a demo at the beginning of class with the kids so they can directly observe the painting process. The students will also have prepared examples to refer to along with the magazine pictures
• Works will be selected by the County Board to be recreated
• Jayne Rose, Debbie and Erin will turn separate student works into a composite picture for the mural. The uniqueness of each artist will be recognizable but the works will be fused together in a rhythmic harmonious manner. They will than draw the composite picture on the wall for the mural
• Arin and the students will block in the mural. Each student addressing their individual efforts with Arin assisting and painting with the students. This process could take two to three mornings if not more.
• Jayne Rose. Debbie and Erin will finish the mural by cleaning up edges, tweaking, adding definition, color and an over sophisticated feel to the student generated mural.
• Brass plaque with names of all the participants who wish to be named to be mounted on the lower center portion of mural. (appox. 6X8)
• Throughout the project the work will be photo documented (still and video) Notes will be taken and interviews with participants as well as public observations will be gathered through the project. Arin will write a small article for a professional magazine involved with youth probation programs.