Students, staff and visitors who walk down the center hall past the art and music rooms at Carrollton Elementary School suddenly are thrust into a bright and cheery world of diversity, reflected in a mural created by CES art teachers Amy Boehms and Airyonna Ayala.
Inspiration came from muralist and children’s book illustrator Raphael Lopez during a study of his work during Hispanic Heritage month last year, said Boehms.
“We introduced students to his book ‘Maybe Something Beautiful’ and encouraged them to use their voice through their art,” said Boehms, who retired as a CES art teacher this past summer. “The outcome was beautiful, inspiring and communicated hope, friendship and love.”
Ayala said students’ interpretations were an inspiration to them, giving them the idea to create their own 24-by-8-foot mural for the school in the style of Lopez.
“Our students also contributed to the project through their own created works,” said Ayala. “We incorporated many of their ideas as we developed the design.”
Ayala and Boehms worked on the mural panels for months after school, with installation occurring over the summer.
“We are incredibly proud of our mural and appreciate the time and talents of Ms. Ayala and Ms. Boehms,” said Kylie Carroll, CES principal. “They did a fantastic job depicting the magic of CES and showcasing our beautifully diverse student body.”
