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Students at Mary G. Hogsett Primary School learn how to match paint colors to the color guides on the mural drawn by Arts Center of the Bluegrass Exhibit Director Brandon Long, at right. -Photo by Suzanne Farmer

Brandon Long, at right, supervises students as they paint together. -Photo submitted

Students a Mary G. Hogsett Primary School paint together. -Photo by Suzanne Farmer

Brandon Long, standing at right, supervises students as they paint together. -Photo by Suzanne Farmer

Arts Center of the Bluegrass Exhibit Director Brandon Long, center helps students at Hogsett Primary School paint a portion of the mural. -Photo by Suzanne Farmer

A student at Hogsett Primary School paints a green rainbow stripe at the school’s special mural. -Photo by Suzanne Farmer

A student at Hogsett Primary School paints pink flower petals on the school’s special mural. -Photo by Suzanne Farmer

Arts Center of the Bluegrass Exhibit Director Brandon Long, paints the finishing touches on the mural painted by himself and students at Hogsett Primary School. -Photo by Suzanne Farmer

It’s taken more than a year, but a giant mural illustrating what students at Mary G. Hogsett Primary School love most about their school is being finished this week. And an informal, public drive-through unveiling of the project will be Thursday evening at the school.

Principal Suzanne Farmer said the theme of the mural is “What I love about our school,” and was created by local artist Brandon Long, who is also the Arts Center of the Bluegrass Exhibit Director. Soon, the 24-foot by 8-foot brightly colored mural will be permanently displayed in a hallway near the center of the building.

“The mural project started last school year and was funded through a Hudson Ellis Grant,” Farmer said. The project, however, was interrupted in March of 2020. “In fact, the first day Brandon came to work with our students on the project — drawing what they love about our school in black marker outlines — ended up being our last day of in-person school in the 2019-20 school year,” Farmer explained. The final day of in-person classes was March 12, 2020.

The most common pictures that students drew illustrating their favorite parts of their school was of the playgrounds, Farmer said. “We are really fortunate to have so many, and nature/outside spaces.”

There were other favorite things that students submitted drawings of to be added to the mural. “Of course though there are some random fun things like a giraffe and Godzilla!”

“When our students returned to campus this year for some in-person assessments in small groups, we gave them the opportunity to draw for the mural again.”

Farmer said, “When our students returned to campus this year for some in-person assessments in small groups, we gave them the opportunity to draw for the mural again.

Farmer said, “Seeing this project come together after being back on campus feels especially rewarding. Everyone is even more appreciative of our school after working from home for so long. This project has brought us together as a community and allowed us the opportunity for shared expression with Brandon.”

She added, “Ever since moving into our remodeled space, I’ve been looking forward to creating shared art. Public art created with our students makes our school take on the personality of our students, and lets our students know that the school belongs to them.”

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