Community Mural 2014
The first North Seattle College Mural Project (#nscmuralproject) helped build community on the campus of North Seattle College. The project was commissioned by the College's Public Art committee.
There was an international call for entries to choose a winning design, and Heather Brammeier of Peoria, Illinois, was the chosen artist. Brammeier writes about her design,
"…Licton Springs and the wetlands were the primary inspiration for the imagery in my design. Water is the connecting theme from panel to panel, and wetland grasses and evergreen trees are a recurring motif.
To communicate the sense of a gathering place and a diverse community, I referenced Seattle’s heritage guide. Using the decorative arts and architectural forms, I incorporated hints of various cultures rather than overt symbols.
My personal approach to painting is biomorphic abstraction, which is based on natural forms.To unify the image and make it a personal expression, arcs and rounded forms that I would use in my paintings connect the panels visually.
Though it is abstract, the design suggests strength, togetherness, interconnectedness, and intellectual curiosity."
The actual painting of this mural was completed in spring quarter 2014 by students in the ART 204: Mural Art, taught by Art instructor Kelda Martensen. Student artists: Monica Gonzalez, Mohammad Ali Halbawy, Lindsey Hammerle, Jittakarn Klayjaeng, Yiyue Ling, Chloe Lytle, Mary Manous, John Pierce, Hajer Salih, Zaeynab Shaghaghi, Florence Shen, Michael Tuskan, David Umbas, Meri Zhang.
For questions regarding the NSC Mural Project, please email kelda.martensen@seattlecolleges.edu.