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Nine University of North Georgia (ÐÁÓÈÀïÅ®ÓÅ) students painted a mural this summer at ÐÁÓÈÀïÅ®ÓÅ's Gainesville Campus centered on the wording "Face the Strange." The mural is on a wall that connects to the side of the Arts and Technology building. It is a lyric from the David Bowie song "Changes" that ÐÁÓÈÀïÅ®ÓÅ President Michael Shannon referenced in his August 2024 Reveille address outlining a bold vision for the future of ÐÁÓÈÀïÅ®ÓÅ.

A reception will be held at noon Aug. 26 at the mural site to celebrate the students' work.

The project, which was part of Vivian Liddell's special topics in mural painting course, included Kathryn Wood's design and Haley Ellard's color palette. Work began with a multiweek process that included a few rounds of designs in collaboration with ÐÁÓÈÀïÅ®ÓÅ's Division of Strategic Communications & Marketing.

Wood, a senior from Marietta, Georgia, pursuing a degree in art education, said she was surprised to have her first design chosen. She said she's grateful her class's mural will "leave a mark on the university."

"I have thoroughly enjoyed this class from start to finish. It's a very collaborative environment. We all talk to each other. It was fun. It felt more like a collective group of artists working together on a project, not a college course," Wood said. "And I'm very thankful for this experience and meeting all these people and creating those connections."

Ellard, a senior from Danielsville, Georgia, pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in visual arts with a focus in digital arts, plans to go into animation or illustration for a career. She found the mural process to be both eye-opening and rewarding.

"It opens a lot of different opportunities. I never thought I could go and paint a mural and get paid for it," Ellard said. "I never considered that until this class."

Jesse Shipley, who is originally from Aurora, Colorado, is pursuing a B.F.A. in visual arts with a focus in drawing and painting. Shipley was grateful to visit successful murals and hear how they were made. He also enjoyed the collaborative process.

"We were able to work as a team to solve problems and make this mural happen," Shipley said.

Tim Noel, a senior from Sugar Hill, Georgia, pursuing a B.F.A. in visual arts with a concentration in digital arts, is interested in character design for video games and board games, as well as mural-based art for the games and brands he loves. Noel marveled at how the class this summer turned the usual individual dynamic of art classes on its head by having students to work together as a team.

Noel said the mural process helped him know his worth and understand how to tackle a large-scale project with multiple stakeholders. He expressed gratitude for the direction Liddell provided the students.

"She is probably my favorite professor I've ever had. I've had her for three semesters now. She definitely has changed the way I see art and the way I see going to ÐÁÓÈÀïÅ®ÓÅ in general," Noel said. "She is an absolutely outstanding professor."

This is the second semester in a row Liddell has led a class in creating a mural on campus. Her spring special topics course created a "What Comes Next" mural at ÐÁÓÈÀïÅ®ÓÅ's Dahlonega Campus.

Liddell was impressed with this summer's group and the detail in the students' work.

"These students worked hard to create a mural that will be a lasting asset on our Gainesville Campus. Even under the duress of July heat, they fully supported each other, working collaboratively throughout the design and execution process," Liddell said. "In looking at the mural, passersby might not realize the skill that goes into using a limited color palette in a large-scale work. When working with fewer hues, it’s important to keep the colors consistent throughout the mural. The students came up with their own system of color mixing and storage to make sure all colors were accurate to the original design."