Summit Mural and Thesis Project
This thesis project done for my capstone at NAU is about muralism as an educational tool. It consists of a social media campaign called Our Walls as well as a student lead mural project at Summit Alternative High School.
Our Walls is an Instagram campaign encouraging viewers to give students the opportunity to work with professional muralists on mural projects in their schools.
Our Walls believes that when students have the chance to contribute art to their campus walls, that they will feel a deeper sense of belonging and connectedness with their school. This newfound sense of belonging should inspire students to be more engaged in their education.
Kids are natural creatives and have the potential to come up with amazing ideas to breathe color and life into schools, which tend to have a prison-like aesthetic.
Visit @ourwalls.muralism to see the full campaign.
Digital Mural Design
Digital Mural Mockup
I created Our Walls with the intention of inspiring others to utilize muralism in schools, but after reaching out to local administrators in Flagstaff, I was invited to lead a student driven mural project myself.
Summit Alternative High School is for students who were deemed “high risk” or least likely to graduate from the other schools in the area, and they unfortunately lack any form of an art program. This motivated me to give a talented group of students the opportunity to paint a mural for their school.
I digitally designed the mural entirely based on the student’s brainstorming. Their main interests included graffiti art, nature scenes from around Flagstaff, native cultural elements, and the lunch time cat who is a frequent and beloved visitor. It was clear that the students were very proud of all the work they put in, and I believe everyone discovered a newfound appreciation for Summit High School. Go Ravens!
9 x 16ft
2025
