Brookwood is a private school located in picturesque Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts. I was contracted in 2006 to paint a mural depicting the local wildlife & landscape in relation to the many different environs that exist in this coastal town’s water ways. The idea was to begin in the vernal pools deep within the forest and follow the water’s path down stream, through the school’s own lily pond, further out a lower stream and finally to the sea. The teachers in the school’s science wing served as my ‘art directors’ under the direction of department head Cory Logan. I met with them and requested that they each come up with a ‘wish list’ of flora & fauna to be depicted in the mural. Armed with pages of animals, flowers, amoeba, birds & fish I set to work designing several different layouts & possibilities.

    The teachers were unanimously for one of my designs (my favorite as well) that showed water flowing continuously from forest to ocean. We talked about size, and I said ‘the more wall the better’. They had a wall installed over the existing block wall to support the mural. By applying one piece of canvas fifty-five feet long and five and a half feet high, I gave myself the perfect seamless surface to work on.

    I spent the summer & early fall of 2006 gathering images of the area. I shot over 1000 photographs of Brookwood’s grounds to use as reference, and have collected a further 600 images of the local animals, birds, fish & microscopic creatures. These I have compiled into four volumes which I use daily to make sure that the science of the mural is as flawless as the art.

    The mural has in many ways become a labor of love for me. I work while school is in session and am able to see the children’s reactions. The norm seems to be: “That is SO COOOOL!” That’s good enough for me.   

    The mural was completed on May 14th of this year.