PS/MS 83X: Collaboration, Initiative & Perseverance

At PS/MS 83 Donald Hertz, Joshua Gabriel collaborated with students from New York Edge’s after school program to design and paint our ninth mural in the building. The design explores the theme of “Collaboration, Initiative, and Perseverance” using imagery sourced from student drawings.

In our concept sessions, we discussed the definitions of each value, and then taught the participants different methods which can be used to convey these themes using art/images. On the left side we have a large, beautiful tree, filled with inspirational quotes, an idea taken directly from a student sketch. In the middle section we have several young people singing together into a studio microphone to convey the idea of recording a collective voice. Many students did drawings of people singing together as an example of collaboration. Below the singers are three dancers, another example of collaboration culled from the student artwork. The figures rest on top of a an imaginary landscape of colorful, swooping bands, filled with decorative flourishes – conveying the excitement, energy, and positive emotions to be felt when collaborating with peers, and drawing upon initiative and perseverance to complete a project or task.

Text is also a large part of our design, showing our themes in fun, exuberant lettering styles. The right section of the design is made up of several student images which illustrate and symbolize Initiative and Perseverance: A silhouetted figure pushing a giant boulder up a mountain, a person standing atop this same mountain who has apparently climber all the way to the top, a superhero archetype flying above the mountain, and lastly, a majestic bird, swooping through the landscape and bringing the viewers eye to the schools number “PS 83”.