Elkins Park School Library Mural

 

I recently created a mural for the Elkins Park School Library (www.cheltenham.org/elkinspark) to celebrate reading. Thanks to Elkins Park School and the Cheltenham School District Foundation (www.cheltenhamsdf.org/) for sponsoring this project. Located at 8149 New Second Street. Elkins Park, PA 19027

My work has focused on the wonder of stories to excite kids about reading. Learning to read can create opportunities for people and continuing to read develops one’s knowledge. Since I was a kid, I always read to escape into another captivating world. A lot of my book selection has been governed by covers that I was drawn to. I began reading many fantasy  books such as Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings while a 5th grade student at Elkins Park School.  This mural is inspired  by the wonderful world of Harry Potter.  In this mural I show an Elkins Park School student magically levitating pages from a book. A Hogwarts castle and dragon are in the background. It is important for me to paint diverse people in my works because everyone should feel that they are awesome.   The border shows symbols of magic, from the moon and hat to the symbols of each Hogwarts house. Students at Elkins Park School took a survey on which magical symbols they would like to see in the corners. The wand, snitch, owl and wolf were the most popular.   I hope this mural inspires students to dive into the journey of a book like Harry Potter. I also hope this piece also encourages students to believe in their imagination. With imagination you are capable of the magic to influence the world around you.

Process behind the painting in 2 minutes

I will be continuing creating murals showing stories coming to life as a recipient of the 2020-2021 Harriet Hale Woolley Scholarship at the Fondation des Etats-Unis in Paris. From October 2020 through June 2021 I will be developing murals to inspire a love of learning and cultural appreciation. I will be working with students at Lycée Paul Lapie to create murals depicting diverse students reading and the stories that have engaged them. I will stay in touch with updates as the project develops. Prints of this mural are also available at inprnt.com/gallery/arthurhaywood/