‘We Are All Magics’ mural unveiled at BIS

Gionni Harwell, 10, poses May 24 with a section of the mural he painted at Barberton Intermediate School as part of the “We Are All Magics” project, which included working with artist Dara Harper.

PHOTOS BY CHRISTINA McCUNE | BGNN
Lucy Collier, third-grader, points to a butterfly she painted on the “We Are All Magics” mural at Barberton Intermediate School. She also painted a train. She helped at the mural unveiling May 24, which included activity stations for those in attendance.

By CHRISTINA McCUNE
BGNN managing editor

BARBERTON  Partnership and enthusiasm were key components to helping Barberton Intermediate School students mark their place in history and leave a legacy, said art teacher MaryElizabeth Norman who helped orchestrate a unique project.

Family and community members celebrated the unveiling of the project and enjoyed activity stations and refreshments at BIS the morning of May 24. The project involved 700 students, an artist-in-residence, teachers and administrators in partnership with local businesses and organizations. A grant from the Ohio Arts Council also helped to make the project possible.

“I hope that this will cement the value of place and of belonging here and now – that is my great hope for this project,” Norman said Saturday morning as she greeted students and families. “We are part of history. This has been the conversation all year long. We are part of history.”

Much excitement has been building for the “We Are All Magics” project.

In mid-April, the community was invited to White Rabbit Galleries in downtown Barberton to explore stories, family history and treasures as students brought these stories to life through their artwork and family artifacts and heirlooms. Those items were on display again to the public May 24 at the school. Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony, everyone seemed to be chattering excitedly as they walked along the hallway leading from the Howard E. Woodford gymnasium to view for the first time the pièce de résistance – a colorful mural that told the stories of the community and the children’s stories and their families’ stories.

As reported in a BGNN story in September by Bob Morehead, BIS landed a $26,500 grant for the ambitious art project. The multimedia, multifaceted endeavor with both a student and community focus was dubbed “We Are All Magics,” after retired Superintendent Jeffrey Ramnytz’s recurrent mantra. Students prepared essays and illustrations explaining their families’ ties and contributions to the Magic City. Artist-in-residence Dara Harper used these to sketch the outline of the mural filling the entire lower-floor wall.

The project was made possible in partnership with Ohio Arts Council, Barberton Community Foundation, Wooster Brush, Sherwin-Williams, White Rabbit Galleries and Barberton Intermediate School PTA.

Norman and Superintendent Jason Ondrus and Principal Matt Saunders spoke May 24 about students leaving a lasting legacy.

Family, community, sports and military service are all represented on the mural, Norman said.

Harper, Ohio Arts Council TeachArtsOhio Artist-in-Residence, has a bachelor’s degree in studio art and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction and has public installations at Cuyahoga Valley National Park, downtown Cuyahoga Falls, Morgan Park, North Hill, Kenmore and west side of Akron.

Harper echoed what Norman said about what she hoped the students gained from the project.

“I want the kids to know where they are in history and really understand that they’re making the history … that this is something that will change as they go forward but it’s something positive especially when you know … you’re encouraged by family,” she said.

Lucy Collier, third grade, pointed to a butterfly she painted as she walked through the hallway with her family and she also said she painted a train.

Gionni Harwell, 10, showed what he painted and then shared information he learned about the city’s founder O.C. Barber and his match company and where he built his mansion. His family enjoys art and he said his older sister, LaMaria, 11, is a true artist in the family. Their mom, Marlo Harwell, said she learned some local history facts herself thanks to her son working on the mural.

The project “leaves a lasting legacy for Barberton Intermediate School through our mural, exploring the story of us through family artifacts and heirlooms, through personal student artwork and narrative. For this entire year, students have loved bringing our story to life on the school walls with TeachArtsOhio Artist Dara Harper,” according information on a placard at the mural.

“Art is always a good way to communicate, to share, to ex-press, so using art for everything and anything especially when it comes to community I think makes a difference versus being talked to or instructed,” Harper said during the May 24 celebration. “You can use art to do all those things and people enjoy it and can walk away being accomplished at something.”