Be Strong, Be Proud, Be Free Mural (2019)
Be Strong. Be Proud. Be Free. (2019)
Acrylic on wood, 72” x 96”
From Sticky notes to mural creation
Throughout the 2018 academic year, De Nichols partnered with The Soulard School of St. Louis, MO, to use her Sticky Note to Self project as a catalyst to teach practices of mindfulness, self-advocacy, and social justice to upper-elementary students.
As a culmination of workshops, videos, and curriculum designed and co-created by De and the school’s faculty and parents, students developed a myriad of notes, reflective journals, and other outputs that reflected their community and personal life experiences. Then through a democratic voting process, students selected one sticky note created amongst their cohort to represent the school and be designed by De and transformed into a mural.
The selected mantra, “Be Strong, Be Proud, Be Free.” was co-painted by De and students to govern the school’s social culture for the following academic year.
This project was created with funding and support by Teaching Tolerance and the Regional Arts Commission Artist Fellowship.
Transforming Student Notes into a school mural
As part of her sticky note workshop creation, one fourth grade student produced the note, “Be strong, be proud, be free” that others from the Soulard School selected for the mural. Upon selection, De designed and presented teachers with an assortment of mural renderings. The selected mural design reflected the vibrancy, playfulness, and strength that teachers felt would sustain students’ energy to embody the mantra throughout their school year as well as in their personal lives.
Mantra created by Soulard School student and selected to be designed into a mural.
Mural design by De Nichols and selected by Soulard School faculty and staff.
TEACHING community values in the painting process
As the geometric gradient styles that were designed into the mural offered a multiplicity of spaces for student participation, it also opened opportunities to further teach students values embodying within the year-long series and the selected mantra. Many students had not painted a large-scale artwork before and were thus intimidated and afraid of messing up. By encouraging them to be strong, free, and proud as their mantra suggests, De instilled lessons and encouragement about confidence and community reciprocity while teaching students how to paint.
Capturing the Big Reveal
The Be Strong, Be Proud, Be Free mural was installed on the front of The Soulard School in St. Louis, MO. The following video captures part of its installation process and its reveal to leaders at the school.