The Buchanan Park Recreation Center became more vibrant this week.
This item is available in full to subscribers.
If you're a print subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one.
Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber.
If you made a voluntary contribution in 2023-2024 of $50 or more, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one at no additional charge. VIP Digital Access includes access to all websites and online content.
That’s because five middle school students under the direction of professional muralist Daniel Crosier painted a large mural on two walls inside the recreation center. Those walking into the building during spring break stopped to check out the mural painted in orange, red, blue, yellow and more with latex paint.
It’s bright, imaginative and a definite change to the white walls that used to be in the hallway leading to the Bergen Peak Room. The mural covers two 10-foot high walls, one is 22 feet long, and the other is eight feet long.
The mural is a collaboration between Center for the Arts Evergreen, which provided the muralist and the workshop students, and the Evergreen Park & Recreation District.
The five students, Nica Marques, 11, Teddy Clark, 12, Izumi Hartshorne, 13, Alyssa Kuhn, 11, and Avery Ingalls, 12, designed the mural with Crosier’s input and supervision. The theme was Colorado myths and legends, and they got creative with a jackalope, furry trout, hummingfox and gnome.
Crosier said they placed the gnome in such a way that people will see him waving at them through the door’s window as they walk out of the Bergen Peak Room.
He explained that CAE selected him for this project because of the way he uses lines, textures and patterns in his murals. He has been teaching the skill to the students, who say that it takes intense brushwork to create the lines.
“It’s all in the brush strokes,” Alyssa, who attends Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen, added. “It’s all in the wrist.”
Izumi, a West Jefferson Middle School student, said her creative outlet usually is dance, but it was a nice break to create a mural.
Avery, who attends Deer Creek Middle School, said he enjoys painting murals because he likes their large scale, so he can add a lot of detail to the painting.
Teddy, an Evergreen Middle School student who has worked on another mural for CAE, said he likes painting murals because it feels like he’s leaving his mark, while Nica, who also attends EMS, likes to paint, especially watercolors, plus she dabbles in pottery.
The students agreed that it will be nice to have their artwork and their names on the mural for all to see.
Lisa Nierenberg, CAE's executive director, said the indoor mural is the first of several that CAE and EPRD will collaborate on. The summer, a shed at the Buchanan Fields will get a mural makeover.
We have noticed you are using an ad blocking plugin in your browser. The revenue we receive from our advertisers helps make this site possible. We request you whitelist our site.