Mural

Getting Started

On a sunny evening in September, a class of more than twenty students gathered together to start on a new project in correlation with Mainstreet Kirksville. This group of first-year Truman students all worked together, gathering on different days to prime, paint, and work on a plain concrete wall across from Pagliai's Pizza in order to bring a spot of color to downtown Kirksville.

The goal of the class matches perfectly with the partnering organization that allowed the mural to happen in the first place: Mainstreet Kirksville. Mainstreet Kirksville is a non-profit organization with a goal to "strengthen the Kirksville community by creating a positive image, fostering economic development, & revitalizing & preserving downtown Kirksville, while promoting it as an exciting place to shop, dine, live, work, be entertained, invest, & own a business." A mural was the perfect way to get first-year students invested in the city of Kirksville and to bring a new and positive aspect to downtown.

The mural is finished. There are many colos and textures.

People paint the mural. Some stand and one is one a ladder.

A woman standing on a ladder holding a wet paint brush smiles at her work.

The mural has some shapes painted, but remains unfinished.

The primed rectangle with various shapes stenciled onto it.

The concrete wall with a rectangle of primer

The Truman Create Symposium students stand in front of the finished mural holding a sign, it reads: Main Street Kirksville MURAL by Truman State's Create Symposium Thanks to HOME DEPOT for providing paint.

This project used a variety of colorful paints, provided by Home Depot, to bring an abstract, colorful geometric piece of art to life. All students signed up for at least one painting session, with usually 10 people per session. The students would meet at the mural site during the designated time, and then start to paint corresponding lines and colors. These students had incredible worth ethic and a determination to get the project completed on time, even if it meant gathering in 45-degree weather. Throughout the five painting sessions, a work of art with deep blues, bright pinks, radiant oranges, golden yellows, and vivid greens began to take form. The project took just over a month, with the first painting day on September 26th, and the final product completed on October 27th. The mural class invites you to go check out their hard work, and while you're there, go ahead and stop by a few downtown shops!

Mariam ElKadi (left) and Carolina Fleming (left) stand smiling in front of the completed mural.

What inspired you when designing the mural?

I was mostly inspired by bright colors. I had no specific meaning in mind, I just wanted to create something lively and fun that looks good in picture.

How did it feel to accomplish such a big, public project like this?

It felt really good to finally finish it! Painting was hard work. It was cold sometimes and at other times it would be so sunny we couldn't see what we were doing. I enjoyed painting and designing, but it was stressful and tiring so I'm glad it's over.

Mariam ElKadi (left) and Carolina Fleming (right).

An interview with Mariam ElKadi, the designer of the mural.

The mural was designed by Mariam ElKadi, it was painted by Truman Create Symposium Mural

Group with the help of Mariam ElKadi and Carolina Fleming.

Thanks to group member Mikay Reimann for the writing.

Special thanks to Claire Finter for additional photography and webpage design.