Mural takes on special meaning
Paper: Connecticut Post (Bridgeport, CT)
Title: Mural takes on special meaning
Author: STEVEN ANDREWS
Date: February 26, 2005
BRIDGEPORT - Looking for inspiration when asked to paint a mural for Black History Month, Sharvon Pettway went back to her roots.
The 16-year-old junior at Central High School said that reading Roots, Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize-winning epic about a black family's experiences from Africa to America, gave her the creative spark for the massive painting.
Pettway painted the mural, which has been on display at Central for more than two weeks, last month. Though she did not originally plan such a large display, the mural eventually spread to include 10 large pieces of paper.
"I was trying to show people who were really inspiring," said Pettway.
Featured on the oil pastel mural are Harriet Tubman, a key figure in the Underground Railroad, and other icons of the more recent civil-rights movement such as Rosa Parks, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.
"All of the people I painted showed that if you put your mind to it, you can really do anything," Pettway said. She also included a depiction of slaves working on a plantation, similar to scenes from the book Roots.
Pettway was asked to create the artwork as part of the school's effort to promote awareness of Black History Month.
The entire mural took Pettway 10 days to complete, working for about three hours each day.
The teen said she's pleased school officials put her painting on display because it's important for people to visualize history so they don't forget it.
A lot of students were surprised that I made this because most of them didn't know I could do anything like this, she said. Pettway said that many of Central's students and teachers have complimented her on the mural. Also displayed with the painting is a ceramic piece Pettway created called Handmade, which shows many hands working together as if they are sculpting something of their own.
Since she is interested in both painting and sculpture, Pettway hopes to use her artistic talents professionally and become an interior designer.
And even though Pettway believes every person depicted on the mural is significant, her favorite is King.
"He was so important, because his actions created so many opportunities for other people," Pettway said.
(c) 2005 The Connecticut Post. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Media NewsGroup, Inc. by NewsBank, Inc.
Title: Mural takes on special meaning
Author: STEVEN ANDREWS
Date: February 26, 2005
BRIDGEPORT - Looking for inspiration when asked to paint a mural for Black History Month, Sharvon Pettway went back to her roots.
The 16-year-old junior at Central High School said that reading Roots, Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize-winning epic about a black family's experiences from Africa to America, gave her the creative spark for the massive painting.
Pettway painted the mural, which has been on display at Central for more than two weeks, last month. Though she did not originally plan such a large display, the mural eventually spread to include 10 large pieces of paper.
"I was trying to show people who were really inspiring," said Pettway.
Featured on the oil pastel mural are Harriet Tubman, a key figure in the Underground Railroad, and other icons of the more recent civil-rights movement such as Rosa Parks, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.
"All of the people I painted showed that if you put your mind to it, you can really do anything," Pettway said. She also included a depiction of slaves working on a plantation, similar to scenes from the book Roots.
Pettway was asked to create the artwork as part of the school's effort to promote awareness of Black History Month.
The entire mural took Pettway 10 days to complete, working for about three hours each day.
The teen said she's pleased school officials put her painting on display because it's important for people to visualize history so they don't forget it.
A lot of students were surprised that I made this because most of them didn't know I could do anything like this, she said. Pettway said that many of Central's students and teachers have complimented her on the mural. Also displayed with the painting is a ceramic piece Pettway created called Handmade, which shows many hands working together as if they are sculpting something of their own.
Since she is interested in both painting and sculpture, Pettway hopes to use her artistic talents professionally and become an interior designer.
And even though Pettway believes every person depicted on the mural is significant, her favorite is King.
"He was so important, because his actions created so many opportunities for other people," Pettway said.
(c) 2005 The Connecticut Post. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Media NewsGroup, Inc. by NewsBank, Inc.
posted by Steven Andrews at
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