Our students at PS 279 wanted to take a communal area they visit daily and add some beauty to it. Half of our students, all in middle school, had worked on a previous Thrive mural in their school auditorium and were specifically selected to work on this mural with us. All of our students were in all kinds of after school art programs including theater, music, and even knitting. The cafeteria was selected as the mural site because it’s a communal area, all the students from Kindergarten to 8th grade share the space for breakfast, lunch, after school, and special events. We spent a total of 12 weeks together after school learning about different art styles, using different mediums, and exploring how art can help us express our thoughts and feelings. During the in class process, they were in awe of the whimsical and magical art of Frida Kahlo and wanted to incorporate some of her style into the mural, specifically nature being a major component/theme. The students loved the whimsy of abstract art in general and wanted to make the mundane bright and colorful. 

Like with most mural projects, our students were a bit hesitant during the production process, constantly worrying about the possibility of messing up. With lots of words of encouragement they were able to fully enjoy the process. During our ribbon cutting ceremony, we gathered in a circle and said one thing we enjoyed about the process. Some of our students said they were happy they got to create art with their friends, some said they were happy to have gotten the opportunity to be a part of the program, and a teacher who worked with us said she loved seeing the students she worked with in kindergarten work so well together.

PS 279 Capitain Manuel Rivera, Jr.: Fruitful (2023)