Shannon Fitzpatrick guides 4th grader Ava Shechtman at Monroe Elementary School on the Art Matters Mural project Tuesday. The students are recreating a Diego Rivera masterpiece – Photo by Terry Miller
Art Matters in Monrovia Schools
By Susan Motander
When schools face budget restrictions, very often the first items on the chopping block are what many people consider the “nonessentials.” Quite often, these are subjects such as art and music. Fortunately, for the schools in the Monrovia Unified School District, the Boone Foundation is providing funding for a very important art program, a mural project, returning balance and beauty to the schools.
Now in its second year, the mural project is being undertaken at all five Monrovia elementary schools. Under the direction of the district’s resident artist, Shannon Fitzpatrick, students are painting murals at their own schools,
Dr. Katherine Thorossian, the superintendent, praised the program saying “The world as seen through the eyes of an artist provides deeper insights and allows those who are exposed to great art a rare opportunity. Shannon Fitzpatrick has created such opportunities for our students.” Fitzpatrick has written several books about art, its role in history and in education. She has helped to create more than 75 murals in schools throughout the area. Her role is pivotal to the project according to both Thorossian and Patrick Garcia, the Director of Performing Arts for the Monrovia schools.
“We are working to create a balance for our students,” said Garcia. “As Dr. Thorossian says, we work to balance the three A’s: Academics, Art and Athletics.”
Starting this week and running through mid-April, each elementary school will undertake the painting of a mural somewhere on an exterior wall. According to Garcia, the murals this year will be painted on walls visible to the community in general.
“Last year our murals were painted on interior walls at the schools,” Garcia said. “This year we wanted to share our art with the community.”
The first mural is being painted this week at Monroe Elementary, a fitting start as it was the community’s first school as well. In honor of the school’s dual emersion educational program with Spanish, the students are recreating one of Diego Rivera’s most famous murals, La Pinata. Last week, student leaders drew the outline of the work as it was projected onto a wall facing Colorado Boulevard.
Next week work will begin on Gainsborough’s Blue Boy at Wildrose Elementary. Following in rapid succession will be a Chinese Dragon Robe at Plymouth, The Long Leg by Edward Hopper at Mayflower and Seurat’s The Circus at Bradoaks. These murals will join those done last year.
When all five of this year’s murals are completed, the schools are planning an art walk of all ten murals. Information regarding the walk will be made available as soon as plans are completed. And according to Garcia, the public will be more than welcome to attend.
