Teachers Collaborate On New Santa Maria Mural
A blank white wall inside the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District office has become a canvas this week for a unique art collaboration.
For the past four days, five art teachers from the district’s three large campuses, have teamed up to create a colorful mural that depicts an aerial view of the Santa Maria Valley.
The teachers, Merrie Okie-Goldin and Autumn Jennings from Santa Maria, LeeAnn Del Rio and Melissa Johnson from Righetti and George Karamitsos from Pioneer Valley, have each lent their artistic ability to complete the mural, which sits directly behind the board room dais.
“We wanted everyone to be able to come see something,” said Okie-Goldin. “Whether they see right away it’s an aerial view or see the beautiful color. The thing that links art is emotion or you can tell a story from any part of it, without us telling what it’s about.”
The teachers say they’ve enjoyed working together so much, they’re now going to create a district-wide mural project that will include students from each school. While the details still need to be worked out, Okie-Goldin says the project will involve students creating murals at local students or other community locations. The new student mural project is expected to begin by the 2015-16 school year.
