This blog post is contributed by Jes Noel. Jes Noel, is a Primary Art Teacher at Danville Primary School in Danville, PA. She also serves as the PAEA Elementary Division Lead.

As art educators we create art with our students however have you ever considered creating art with your peers? And I am not talking fellow art teachers I am talking about the other educators in your building that DON’T teach art! Well, I am here to tell you it is possible!

This past 2018 – 2019 school year I created a staff mural with my fellow 70 educators, paraprofessionals, administration, secretaries and custodians. With the help of my building principal, we found time in six-morning meetings throughout the year to create our mural with was unveiled in April during our annual Celebrate the Arts Night. Our inspiration came from the street artist Kelsey Montague and her #WhatLiftsYouSchools movement.

First Morning Meeting:

I prepared a PowerPoint to explain to staff what our initiative for the year exactly was. Our Goal: create a staff mural to gift to our students in April inspired by Montague’s wings which also tied into our new social media initiative. #ironkidssoar

Second Morning Meeting:

Staff painted two pieces of paper with acrylic paint which would ultimately be turned into 4 feathers per staff member. Staff was limited to red, orange, yellow, blue, green or purple paint.

Third Morning Meeting:

Staff were introduced to the Zentangle Method and practiced Zentangle on a 3×3 square.

Fourth Through Sixth Morning Meeting:

Staff Zentangled two of their four feathers for the mural. Feather stencils were provided for continuity along with multiple handouts and examples. The other two feathers remained blank.

Upon completion of all the feathers after the sixth-morning meeting, I and a fellow first-grade teacher began the process of laying and gluing all 280+ feathers onto plywood that we had cut into the shape of wings.

After many, many, MANY coats of Mod Podge, the wings were ready to hang! The staff had voted to entitle our group mural “At DPS, Our Dreams Take Flight.” With the help of our maintenance department, we hung our wings in the main hallway for prime viewing and interaction.