When John Sevier Elementary approached me to create some fun artwork to spruce up a few areas of their school, I jumped at the chance! The Maryville, TN school was built in the late ’60s, and still has some great design features from the era — however, subsequent renovations left certain areas feeling drab and disjointed.
I was greatly inspired by the diamond concrete columns leading up to the entrance, as well as the multi-colored tiled hallways original to the building.
I used the tile colors as a jumping-off point for the color palette, adding in tints and shades to create depth to the artwork.
Home of the Foxes
First up were three wall openings that had been closed with drywall panels. For these panels, I wanted to create some graphic retro patterns with some more contemporary illustrations of the school mascot, foxes. The diamonds are a nod to the columns out front, and the orange color was selected to complement the tile color palette.
Tennessee Mountain Home
In the front lobby and hallway I wanted to bring a bit of the outdoors inside with some scenes inspired by the nearby Great Smoky Mountains. To keep with the time period, I put my own spin on the illustration style of postcards and park posters from the era. And of course, some more foxes make an appearance!
Graphic Inspiration
Lastly, it was time to spruce up the teacher’s lounge. The room is small and not well lit, so the goal was to bring in a little bit of fun as well as some much needed teaching inspiration!
This project was so much fun and aligned so many of my interests — historic architecture, interior and graphic design, art, and the great outdoors! It was a joy to be a part of creating a beautiful and fun environment for the students, teachers, and staff of JSE.
How our interior spaces make us feel is so important, now more than ever. If you need help creating a beautiful and engaging space for your customers, I’d love to talk with you! Click here to get in touch.
Rachel Writes Fancy 