Aspire more at East Union

AFTON - Three murals with the words “ALWAYS ASPIRE MORE” now hang in the East Union auditorium after five days of work from the school. They serve as a reminder toward a school identity of building community and individual achievement.

The murals are a mosaic grid with each square of the murals painted individually by an East Union student or staff member. Each person was given a square with an outline of the overall picture to be filled in with specific colors.

The project was a collaboration between East Union and ASPIRE (added school programming integration recreation and education), the school’s additional learning center and an organization that also helps provide family services.

ASPIRE has been involved with the community and East Union to help provide new learning opportunities for students, including involving them with the creation of community projects.

Tammy Ross, the director of ASPIRE, reached out to artist Greg Preslicka, who has created murals for several midwest schools and cities, to come down to Afton for the project. The two teamed up with Sherresse Buzard, the art teacher for all grades at East Union, to help organize classes and times for students to paint.

The idea for the mural came when ASPIRE and East Union requested Preslicka to involve student participation in some role during the creation process.

“I’ve had many schools ask me if I could do a project with the students,” Preslicka said. “I always thought if I did it, I would want to make sure it was meaningful and they had some creativity so they weren’t just painting a flat color on the mural.”

“I like the idea that this tied all the kids and the whole district and the staff and anybody who wanted to participate,” Ross said. “Each person got to do a part of it, and it’s a collaborative effort to make the big picture.”

Throughout three rapid school days, students of all grades gathered in the art room for a handful of minutes per day to paint one or two squares for the murals. Preslicka and staff provided students with guidance and supplies.

As the students worked, one of the rules they’re given is “Have fun. There is no wrong way to paint your piece.”

Preslicka knows how students of different ages look at painting. “The younger kids, it’s all about the expression,” he said. “The older kids get more intentional. They think about the patterns and what they’re painting down.”

The involvement of Preslicka serves as guidance for the kids he’s leading on the project, creating the initial design and directions for the grid, but lets the kids find their own ways to be creative.

Preslicka, once all the squares are painted by the students, assembles and installs the murals himself, giving the mural a final cleanup with thick black paint strokes to outline the design.

Looking closely at the murals, each square has small, individual details that are remnants from a student’s time painting. A small swirl, detailed textures, several dots and small symbols make each square unique and special while still contributing to the greater picture. It’s a collaborative work, but it keeps what makes each square special.

Buzard explained why this opportunity was important for students, even if they didn’t take art. “We’re inviting them to do something that’s going to be here for years, so when they grow older and have kids of their own, or bring relatives and stuff, they can point to the little piece that they did on the mural,” she said. “It has individuality, but it’s incorporated as a unified group with everyone at East Union.”

In terms of inspiring students, Preslicka understands how his impact can inspire students. “It’s nice to show students there’s a lot of ways to go if you like art,” he said.

Preslicka’s website and other works can be found at thebigpicturemurals.net. The murals will be on display for viewing in the East Union auditorium, and will be available during Saturday’s showing of “Willy Wonka Jr” at 6:30 p.m.