Library Mural Brings the Past Alive
By: Aisha Kashif

"Study the past if you would divine the future."

Confucius, Chinese Philosopher (BC 551- BC 479)

Our school is home to many works of art. From kindergartners to sixth graders, everybody gets a chance to use various colors, forms and media to present their thoughts and ideas. But these days, our very own library is slowly becoming home to something special. Something, as they say, quite timeless!  Local artist and muralist, Jolene Hemeon, is working on a mural in the Chesterbrook library to bring into focus the events which shape our lives today, using colors, words, and of course history.

The Chesterbrook PTA Digest caught up with Jolene to talk about her ideas and thoughts while working on this project.

Tell us a little bit about yourself. "I love to paint and design anything from furniture, to walls, to miniatures, to set designs. It's very satisfying to think about a design project and bring it to fruition. Consequently, I've been involved in the arts and decorative arts since 1989. My work has evolved to a family business, Hemeon Studios. My daughter and son work with me to bring beauty to walls. From color consulting to painting to the newest looks in decorative art, we offer many services."

What were some of the thoughts that went into choosing which events to depict in the mural timeline? "It was decided that the timeline of the world would follow the SOLs for grades 1-6.  Based on the criteria, Mrs. Moseley gave me 10 pages of a written timeline of events taken directly from the SOLs. My job is to take the written timeline, the space requirements, and all the images available and make a work of art!"

When did you start work on it and when do you expect to finish the mural? "I started working on the Mural in June of 2010 and I should be finished by June of 2011.  The next panel is scheduled to be installed on December 22nd."

Which reference materials did you use for your research? "Much of my research was from books given to me by Mrs. Moseley from the Chesterbrook Elementary school library.  Some of the research was done from other books and from the Internet.

In your opinion, what has been the most difficult part of this assignment? "There is so much information; the hardest part has been editing all of the images and finding the one image that portrays the event in history that fits in the mural."

Where did you choose the actual scenes from? Or did you choose just the event and then made the pictures yourself?  "To me, each event should be an iconic image such as Buddha, or the image should tell a story such as Vikings raiding villages. Of course, the whole thing has to be worked on keeping the kids in mind. Colors, codes and images, all tie up the timeline in a cohesive manner. I also used short sentences and block letters so that younger kids could also understand.  I think that one of the most important aspects is to show how everything and everyone, whether they live in Asia or Europe, is interrelated to each other. We aren't alone. Universal humanity has made it all possible."

Up to this point, which part of the timeline have you enjoyed working on the most? "I have enjoyed the research. It's a great refresher course for me and I'm learning as I go. I like the design element of each panel and of course the painting of the scenes and bringing the mural to life is a kick!"

What do you plan for the final mural? "You'll have to wait and see the surprise! It might be something pertinent to McLean, Virginia, perhaps Chesterbrook or a specific event in our own American History, I haven't really decided on it yet."

Any words of advice for our budding artists? "Be persistent.  Art can be a gift but it can be a learned skill too.  Keep at it, use good materials, keep a sketch book and have a creative work space around you. It's all about overcoming fears and obstacles.  It's all about the desire to reach your goal, no matter what it is."