When you walk through the doors of Milton High School, you are welcomed with the “Expect More” mural that inspires students that they can do big things and have potential in their futures. This is just one of the murals that have come and gone throughout our school.
Many murals have been painted over in the past due to renovations and construction, said Art Teacher Ms. Lauren Richie. Currently there are three murals in the school and one mosaic. In addition to the “Expect More” mural, there is one in the cafeteria, one outside the nurse’s office right by the cafeteria and one glass mosaic going up to the second floor.
The time it takes to plan a mural depends on how big and how many people are required, said Ms. Richie. Currently there are no murals in the works, she added. None are in the planning process, and according to Ms. Richie, she is unsure if there will be any interest in one.
“All the murals in the school have been student works,” said Ms. Richie. The “Expect More” mural was a student work but was also made through a grant from Perry Council of the Arts, she added.
The cost and time for production of murals depends on the size and difficulty of the artwork, said Ms. Richie. If paid artists come in and help, it will get more expensive. The “Expect More” mural in the front of the school took two weeks with students working constantly,” said Ms. Richie.
The mural in the cafeteria was completed in 2010 by the Milton Auxiliary students. The teacher in charge of the program at the time was Mr. Nathan Richie. This mural took about three to four months as it was a large project, he said. “Anywhere from five to seven students worked on it at a time and indoor acrylic paint was used for this project,” Mr. Richie added.
“The best part was seeing the finished product and the culmination of the students’ hard work and the pride they had in being able to ‘make their mark,’” Mr. Richie said. “The hardest part was motivating five to six students to paint a large scale mural.” This mural shows a panther controlling the strings of puppets that represent rival schools.
The glass mural in the staircase going up to the second floor was made by Milton students and Lisa Billet in 2017, according to a Daily Item article from in April 2017. Ms. Lisa Billet was the artist that helped make this mural. This piece shows a black panther coming out of the jungle.
The “Expect More” mural was made in 2015. Around 100 students helped to paint this mural, according to an article in February 2015 on WNEP. Artist Dirk Shearer designed the nine by 15-foot painting. According to his website, Mr. Shearer is a freelance illustrator that works with many mediums and has worked in multiple high schools helping students to create murals.
To start a mural, preparation has to happen first. High School Principal Mr. Michael Bergey must approve of the design as well as cost and time needed for the artwork. “He talks it over with the superintendent,” Ms. Richie said. The students doing the mural present their ideas to the principal and it gets looked over, she added.
“Murals can last for generations as long as the materials used are of high quality,” Ms. Richie said.
