Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart in Pensacola, Florida, is inviting community artists to create kid-friendly murals on a larger-than-life blank canvas.
Located outside the Pediatric Emergency Department, the 30-by-8-foot Studer Children’s Mural Wall is modeled after the iconic Graffiti Bridge and other mural walls around Pensacola.
Cat Outzen, Director of Community Relations and Children’s Programs at Children’s Hospital, said engaging community members to create murals provides them with a unique opportunity of self-expression.
“Art has the ability to bring people together, to find common meaning and shared purpose,” said Cat, who came up with idea for the mural wall. “These murals can be used to raise awareness for pediatric health issues, spark conversations or project a positive, vibrant environment for the families who visit us.”
Washington High School senior Lauren Bonner was the first community artist selected to feature her artwork on the mural wall. She welcomed the chance to combine her love of art with her passion for raising awareness for childhood cancer.
Lauren is the daughter of Cindi Bear Bonner, Director of Rally Pensacola, part of a nationwide foundation for childhood cancer research, so childhood cancer is a cause that is important to her.
“I wanted to honor Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September by drawing a painting that children and families can walk by and make them smile, knowing that they have support from the community,” she said.
Lauren typically draws watercolor portraits of people and pets; this was her first large-scale project. To get it right, she turned for advice to Pensacola artist Ashton Howard, whose sea life murals are displayed throughout Children’s Hospital.
“He said tiny details are not as important when you’re painting a large space,” she said. “He also suggested using grid paper to lay out the drawing. I used chalk to outline the drawing on the wall and then filled in with color.”
Over two days in late August, Lauren worked eight-hour days to execute her vision. As with any art project, there were some deviations from the original plan.
“That’s what I love about art; sometimes you mess up, but you continue and make something better than you originally planned,” said Lauren, who is applying to visual art programs for next year.
Cat said each mural will stay up for three months before it’s painted over to create a clean slate for the next artist.
To be considered, artists need to submit a draft of their mural for approval.
