In 11-year-old Michaela Champion’s eyes, Carnegie is a small community with loads of talent.
That talent will be exhibited, as Champion and 23 of her peers in the Carlynton School District spent two days this month painting a mural in Irishtown Tot Park with the guidance from California artist Amanda Lynn.
“I honestly love painting,” said Champion, a student at Carnegie Elementary. “It’s very enjoyable, I love the experience, I love the culture of art.
“It’s nice to get outside and explore the world of art.”
The mural was a group effort among Carnegie teacher Don Alexander, the Pittsburgh-based LIGHT Education Initiative and muralist Amanda Lynn, who lives in northern California.
The LIGHT Education Initiative has worked with Lynn for similar mural projects in the Shaler and Fox Chapel area school districts, said the initiative’s creative director, Nicole Cmar.
Working with Carnegie officials, it was determined that the students from Carnegie and Crafton elementary schools, and Carlynton High School, would paint a brick garage wall along the 500 block of Diamond Alley at Irishtown Tot Park, near Chartiers Creek, Alexander said.
“This place seemed like it needed a little love,” said Lynn, a Bedford native.
Lynn said she opens up the design process over a Zoom call with the student artists to brainstorm mural ideas.
“I basically ask them what they want to see in the community,” she said.
The Carnegie mural is very environmentally savvy — it taps into nature, flora and fauna, animals, wildlife and fish.
“We’re co-painting,” Lynn said. “They really get to have a voice on the call.”
Lynn said she has a passion for public art and murals.
“It’s art for everyone,” she said. “While I love my private clients, I’m extremely dedicated to public art.
“When people ask me why I do what I do, it’s to create joy, and these kids are very joyful. It brings me joy to see that, and people having their voice in the community.”
Sara Mousawi, 16, enjoyed painting flowers with her friend Shakhzoda Norboeva, 18.
“I like to paint,” Mousawi said. “It’s my hobby and I like to be with my friends.”
Leah Hyre, 17, also enjoyed the process of making something from nothing.
“It’s nice we get to make something beautiful from the barren wall from before,” she said.
The most fun part of the experience for 16-year-old Ethan Moldovan is “being able to work on something with kids from my school,” he said. “It’s cool to see new faces in the district that I didn’t see before, and see they are having fun doing things like this.”
Champion agrees that the public will enjoy the finished product.
“I think they’d be amazed at how young students can make something so beautiful,” she said.
