Art students add a bit of whimsy to children's playroom at Shelter from the Storm

LA GRANDE, Oregon – Students in Jessica Plattner’s Design I art class at Eastern Oregon University are creating a tradition. Each fall the class puts their artistic skills to work to brighten up the walls in a different community organization with colorful murals.

EOU sophomore Amelia Kowing paints a butterfly
cutout. The plywood cutouts add dimension to
the panoramic nature scene in the playroom.

Some of the murals are large and some are small, but all have major positive impact. Past projects include Third Street Station, a boarding house managed by Roads End Properties in La Grande.

Scenes depicting families picnicking in the park, historic buildings downtown, Max Square in the summertime – all reflecting the organization’s connection to the community – were painted along the main hallway.

 

This year the students added an extra measure of cheer to the children’s playroom at Shelter from the Storm. Their work will be the crowning stroke for an open house today, Dec. 6 from 2:30-5 p.m.

The playroom is used frequently both by clients and several women’s groups that meet in the building on a regular basis, which Shelter from the Storm provides childcare services to.

From a kid's-eye view, Zach Sites adds detail to the
falling leaves at the base of the large tree, the focal
point of the room.

Before dipping into their paint buckets, the students in Plattner’s class visited Shelter from the Storm to learn more about the organization’s mission and role in the community as a support system for victims of domestic violence.

“The students listened specifically for broad themes related to the Shelter’s work with children such as protection, healing, safety, imagination, nature and fun,” Plattner said. “Next, the students worked in groups to come up with proposals for the mural.”

Shelter from the Storm staff members and volunteers joined Cory Peeke, assistant professor of art at EOU, in reviewing the proposals. Students presented small, painted mock-ups of their different designs as examples and addressed the specific themes conveyed through the imagery. Plattner also required each group to outline the elements and principles of each design.

EOU junior Yoshimi Kishimoto puts the finishing touches on
the fish pond next to the door.

Once the panel came to a decision on the design the class spent many hours working together to bring the final concept to life on the blank canvas of the playroom walls. The complete design came together in a panoramic landscape depicting the four seasons.

Now butterflies and leaves drift lazily around while several frogs and fish chase after bugs. Birds take wing from the branches of a large tree in the corner reaching all the way to the ceiling.

“Some elements are painted directly onto the walls, such as the rolling hills that surround the whole room,” Plattner said. “Other elements are cut out of plywood and applied to the wall like the falling leaves, snowflakes and birds.”

It was hard to come to a unanimous decision as to which design would fit the room the best, said Chris Martin, sexual assault advocate at Shelter from the Storm.

“We all loved the tree, so that was really the deciding factor,” she said. “We are all really excited about it.”

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