“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” ~ Aristotle
This statement proved true once again during the creation of the “Dream BIG! Anything is Possible!” mural project. From the imaginations of 500+ children and their 1000+ small hands, sprang an 8’ x 8’ painting exploding with color, magic and hope!
Part 1: In the spring of 2023, when I asked them what it means to “dream big”, these young artists from Horace Mann School in Beverly Hills drew flying machines, mythical creatures, a floating stage, an astronaut, a kindness castle, etc. From this treasure trove of hundreds of enchanted images I created the B & W collage model design for the mural:
Part 2: During the summer of 2023 I oversaw the painting of the mural itself with a group of about forty children working together for two weeks to mix and blend colors, and breathe life into the outlined images. These were long days of learning, experimentation, play, collaboration and trouble-shooting, accented with moments of deep focus and infectious joy.
Part 3: And then the big day finally arrived in the fall of 2023- the grand finale – the mural unveiling itself! This was the first time that the children, the school community and I saw the mural as a finished whole and the collective joy was overwhelming! What a true labor of love this mural project was for me on every level- as an art teacher, mural director and lover of children, paint and color <3
I’d like to think that in some small way creating something beautiful, collaborative and lasting with children like the “Dream BIG!” mural contributes to the healing and wellness of our struggling world.
