Hallsville Elementary School Murals, Manchester, NH, USA

The original photo, Hallsville Drawing Class, ca. 1900

The "Drawing Class Mural". Mayor Ted Gatsas on left. Photo Thomas Roy.

The mural with the supplementary desk.

Another view.

The "Drawing Class Mural." Tom Brennan, Manchester School Superintendent, Arthur Beaudry, ward nine school board member, and Paula Perreault, paraprofessional educator on right. Photo Thomas Roy.

The "Drawing Class" Mural

Here is a link to the article in which the mural appeared in the Union Leader.
Here is a link to the photos of the unveiling of all three murals which appeared in the Union Leader.

This concept for this particular mural was conceived by the school's principal Rachelle M. Otero, who wanted a view represented in the space depicting the school's early days.  I chose the reference photo of the school, circa 1900, feeling that the drawing class with a live dog was by far the most interesting image from that period.

The photo was reproduced very faithfully, with the exception of the content on the blackboard.  It was decided that the lineage of the school's principals, from its opening to the present day, should be represented.  I left room for extra names, so that future principals may be added.

Hallsville Elementary School Murals, Manchester, NH, USA

This is one of three original murals done at Hallsville Elementary School under Rachelle M. Otero, Principal of Hallsville, during the Spring and Summer of 2012.

This particular mural featured the students themselves in the imagery, painted-in from my own photographs of them.  In the "Art" section, the girls painted their original artwork onto the actual mural itself.  The mural was about 35 feet long and 4 feet high, from chest level up to the ceiling.

Leftmost side of mural with credits

Reading

Art

Mathematics section

Sports

Writing

Detail of "Writing"

Music

Detail of "Music"

Detail of "Technology"

Technology

Here in another part of the building, more murals done in the stairwell, leading up from the front doors, into the classrooms. The idea was to encourage the children to enter the school with enthusiasm, sprouting wings to become more like the school mascot, which was a hawk.

Green Acres Elementary School Mural, Manchester, NH, USA

This mural was done for Green Acres Elementary School during the summer of 2008.  The mural was over 9 feet high and about 50 feet long.  Rick Norton was principal and Rachelle Moore, now Otero, was vice principal.  They were two people with whom it was wonderful to work.  The border was created by attaching copies of student work directly to the wall. The theme was, obviously, NH and its trappings.

The sketch for the mural, about 14"x4"

The squared up wall, with student work attached as the border.

Yours Truly at work, freehand!

In progress.

In progress.

 

 

Finished mural, viewed by public at unveiling