ITEM PHOTO BY SPENSER HASAK
The new Raw Art Works mural at Shoemaker Elementary.
By MATT DEMIRS
Thanks to the Good 2 Go program at Raw Arts Work in Lynn, one of the hallway walls at Shoemaker Elementary School has been transformed into an underwater scene.
Completed this month, the mural painted by teens brings color to a once-drab hallway.
“I love the underwater scene because it is so beautiful,” said Gage Underwood, a kindergartener at Shoemaker, who said his favorite part of the mural are the fish.
The work is 30 feet long and 4 feet tall and hangs near the main office.
The idea for the underwater creation came from Adrienne Khiat, who worked with principal Christina Colella, the parent-teacher-organization, and Bruce Orr from Raw Arts.
Khiat said she was inspired when her daughter, first grader Kamilla Khiat, started school at Shoemaker and noticed the hallways could use some color.
New to the area, Khiat didn’t know where she could find an artist or group of artists until a friend told her about Raw Art Works, a nonprofit whose mission is to put paint brushes into the hands of kids.
The high school artists who designed and created the work interviewed Colella and Khiat to translate the pair’s vision into an artistic creation, Orr said. The artists from Lynn and Swampscott who created the mural are Anthonie Cruz, Alex Rabuffo, Brian Hoang, Austin Jagodynski, Joshua Bonifaz, Angel DeLeon, and Roberto Stephen.
“I really love that we got to find a local group to do it,” she said. “Not only will they have something to show for their hard work but they’ll also be able to put this kind of stuff on their college application.”
The underwater scene is special because it represents the school, its students, and teachers.
The artists sought to celebrate the differences of each individual attending or working in Shoemaker and the experiences they bring to school each day.
“There are many symbols within the mural,” said Khiat.
The fish are the kids who live under the sea, which represents Shoemaker, and the dolphins are the teachers who guide the students. The school mascot, a shark, is pictured eating a book to symbolize school pride and hunger for knowledge, according to the mural’s description.
A unique part to the design are the puzzle pieces throughout, which represent the large population of students with autism, said Colella. Shoemaker houses the integrated program, Creating Opportunities for Children with Autism.
What is special about the Good 2 Go project, said Orr, is the opportunity for students to earn money creating art. They have done more than 20 murals since Orr became program director in 2012.
There is also an element of fun in the mural.
Within the under the sea scene are hidden objects kids can find, like a pencil, pirate hat, and an anchor. This game, similar to “iSpy,” allows them to interact with the piece in a way that is different from a regular painting.
“The students think it’s really fun and they enjoy looking for the hidden items,” said Kindergarten teacher Jennifer Sheehan. Her class passes by the mural daily on their way to the bathroom, lunch, and gym, and always stare at it, she said.
Colella said she loves the mural just as much as the kids.
“It draws them in and gets them interested. My favorite animal in it is the turtle.”
Matt Demirs can be reached at mdemirs@itemlive.com.