2025 Arts Education Program Mural
Location: Foothill Elementary School, Boulder, CO
The Street Wise Arts Mural Program was an extension of Foothill Elementary School’s 5th-grade field trip to Bohn Park in Lyons, Colorado. Before and during the trip, students worked with their art teacher, Mary Powell, to begin a sketchbook practice that encouraged them to slow down, observe, and record the colors, lines, patterns, and textures found in nature—particularly in the rocks and landscape of the foothills.
The field trip immersed students in a full day of art, poetry, and dance, building creative connections to the environment around them. Following the visit, Street Wise Arts guest artist Whitman Lindstrom (Whitman Lindstrom Instagram) joined the students in the classroom to share his artistic journey and introduce them to his distinctive process, including his use of bold fluorescent underpainting to build fresh, energetic blocks of color. With the Lyons trip top of mind, the group identified key visual themes to inspire the mural design.
This collaborative project strengthened students’ sense of belonging and deepened their engagement with the school community. Drawing from the students’ insights and sketches, Whitman developed a unified mural design that the 5th graders helped paint, culminating in a meaningful and creative shared experience.