Early Encouragement In Art Evokes Fond Memories

 

Photograhic style illustrated “reenactment” of my 8th grade mural-creating experience.
I found what I feel is a suitable quote shown to represent the one I lettered
which I can longer recall.

One of my earliest affirming experiences as a young artist came near the end of my eighth-grade year when my school principal assigned me to create a mural on paper, covering an entire 4' x 9' hallway bulletin board.

He had noticed my growing involvement in art over the past couple of years at our small Southern Illinois grade school, and I was thrilled to have such a large space to create.

For inspiration, I chose imagery based on a book that deeply resonated with me at the time—Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. The novel, an allegorical tale about individual empowerment, had gained popularity, and its message spoke to me.

Mr. Schwarm, our principal, generously allowed me to dedicate time each day to working on the project until it was complete.

Using pastel chalk, I created a scene of seagulls in various sizes and flight positions against a vast blue sky. On the far right, I depicted the largest and most detailed seagull, representing the book’s protagonist, Jonathan Livingston Seagull. On the far left, I lettered a quote from the book, though, oddly enough, I no longer remember the exact words.

The mural caught the attention of the Southern Illinoisan, a regional newspaper, which sent a photographer to capture an image of me standing next to my work and published a caption about me, the mural, and our school.

A friend recently sent me a screenshot of an archived copy of the photo. Though the reproduction quality is poor, the overall composition of the mural is still discernible, even if the finer details are obscured.

This experience remains a cherished memory—a testament to the encouragement and kindness of my principal and the supportive academic environment of my school. It was one of the first steps toward my future career as a graphic artist and art instructor.

Using AI, I recreated a photographic-style re-enactment of that moment in memory of the experience.

See a copy of the original photo below, dated May 6, 1974.