Ala Wai Elementary was a challenge because the wall the mural would go on was the side of a building and was not just a wall. It had part of it inset and there was a grailed window that had to stay.

Considering this, I made the composition fit this "known" part of the variables, and tried to make it work in our favor.

When we were installing the mural on the weekend, several people came down from their 20+ floor apartments in Waikiki to tell us how beautiful and colorful this addition to the landscape was. They said they could see it from way up there and it was a very positive and happy work of art.

This was my goal in conceiving the composition for this mural. I (and the school) wanted to express the children's' journey through school from that first day in kindergarten to the 6th grade and at the same time beautify the community.

Feedback from the children and the faculty were:

  1. The faculty wanted to incorporate the Ala Wai's 5 C's into the mural; Caring, Cooperation, Common Sense, Courtesy, and Consideration.
  2. Links to the community Ð Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the D.A.R.E Drug Abuse Prevention Program used the facilities.
  3. Friendships, fun, learning, the library, and books.
  4. Recognizable landmarks Ð Diamond Head, Waikiki, Ala Wai Canal
  5. Canoes were a symbol of a journey, the rainbow is a symbol of diversity, and a child saying goodbye to Mom and Dad is a symbol of growing.
  6. Emphasize the beauty of their campus; the flowers and trees and the gardens in back of the school.

We (the school committee and I) decided to make a mural of a scene that was set in the school's library, looking through a bookshelf, through a window in back of the bookshelf, into the garden and across the Ala Wai canal at a high rise building in Waikiki as the sun was setting. On the bookshelf to the left were 2 books neatly standing, while on the right there was a book opened up with a picture of the Ala Wai canal and canoes ready to take a journey. The canoe in front is green and yellow (Ala Wai El's colors) and says "Ala Wai Elementary" on it. Diamond Head is in the back with buildings that resemble books. The books have titles that show appreciation for their community and express the school's motto "Building a Community of Learners" and the 5 C's. The rainbow stretches across the sky as a unifying symbol of promise and hope for the diversity that makes Hawaii so unique and special.

And last but certainly not least, I selected one child from each grade level to model for the silhouettes. These silhouettes represent the experience of a child from day one; the fear and uncertainty of that first day of school, the parents hand on the far left letting go; the gradual level of comfort setting in, to the curiosity and acceptance among peers; and finally the excitement and enthusiasm that enables the most enriching learning to take place!

603 children (the whole school) painted this mural in just 2 hectic weeks for a budget of $10,600. I learned after completing this that it should have been 3 to 4 weeks of painting and a budget of $20,000. Nevertheless, quality of education and the mural was not compromised. I learned from the loss and this mural is one of the reasons why I charge more to paint with the whole school rather than a grade level. I certainly enjoyed this magnificent project and what made it extra special was that my first daughter Tiara was born at Kapiolani Women and Children's Hospital during this and had to be in intensive care for 2 weeks (she had pneumonia). We stayed in a hotel in Waikiki and it worked out better than if we were back in Kailua. In addition, the principal at Ala Wai at the time was Dr. Judith Saranchock, my former high school teacher! I would also like to thank Miss Donna Lum and the one who helped me every day, head Custodian Mabel.

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