Georgia Highlands College Art Instructor Dorothy Reavis recently finished another large-scale mural in Bartow County, brightening up the library at Euharlee Elementary School (EES).
Building a reputation in the region for her works, such as the “Imagination Grows Wild” mural at the Cartersville Public Library, Reavis was contacted by EES Media Specialist Dr. Anne Bagley to help bring a splash of color to the school’s recently repainted cool gray walls.
The mural is based on an illustration by visual artist Randal Spangler entitled “The Reading Tree.”
She was assisted by volunteers Breanna Chapman, a current GHC student, and future GHC student Ethan Perkins, who both previously attended EES.
“Though this is not an original design of mine, we modified the design to reflect the aesthetic of the library and added hints of school colors and their mascot, the Wildcat,” Reavis said. “Dr. Bagley fell in love with the illustration, and though we discussed a few different options, ‘The Reading Tree’ spoke to her, and we decided to go with it.”
The mural took around six weeks to complete. Reavis says it has been rewarding to see the young audience of elementary school students engage with the mural and grow interested in the composition and painting process, regularly visiting with the students and their art teacher Margaret Bearden.
“Art, especially on a large scale, grabs your attention and brings you into it,” Reavis said. “Students would visit me and ask questions about being an artist and how to create a mural step by step, and they also gave me suggestions on the composition, which I honored. Their honest feedback and ideas were a great addition to the process.”
As an artist and educator active in community arts, Reavis encourages young artists to take advantage of community resources available.
“We have a great Art Club at GHC where there are many opportunities to meet other artists and become involved in art projects within the city of Cartersville and Rome,” Reavis said.
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