Keating School gets a splash of color

Baker City artist Tom Novak has helped the 24 students at Keating School paint a mural on the east side of the building, about 15 miles northeast of Baker City. Here, first-graders Skye Smith, on footstool, and Mark Shetler work on the colorful scene, which features Oregon Trail themes.

By LISA BRITTON
For the Baker City Herald

Skye Smith dips her brush in pale blue paint, then presses her lips together in concentration as she touches the bristles to the wall.

With careful strokes, the first-grader creates a blue river flowing out of a purple snow-topped mountain — just one part of the mural that now graces the east side of Keating School.

Since school started, the 24 students — from kindergarten up to grade 6 — have studied local history.

“Everything this fall has been geared toward Baker County history, Oregon Trail and Oregon history,” said Kathi Shaw, who teaches all the grades along with the help of Debbie Radle.

For the assignment leading up to the mural project, Shaw had all the students draw a picture that depicted something from Baker County or Oregon history.

The drawings are diverse — wagons, pioneers, mountains, a bandit roasting fish over a fire, several foxes and a beaver hanging out by a pond full of cattails.

Artist Tom Novak took those drawings and created a mural, using elements from about half.

First he made a sketch of the full design, then scanned it into the computer and drew a grid over the top. He made a similar grid on the school wall, then drew the mural with black marker.

The kids have added the paint, working in twos or threes for about two weeks.

“Everyone has taken a turn painting,” Shaw said. “They’ve done a good job and it’s been fun to have Tom here to spearhead this activity.”

Now the once-blank wall shouts with color.

“It’ll be bright and cheery,” Shaw said.

In addition to the mural project, the students are preparing for a Pioneer Day on Oct. 6, which offers hands-on activities that offer a taste of what life was like years ago.

Also in October, the Keating students’ artwork will be featured during at Crossroads Carnegie Art Center, and the drawings that inspired the mural will be on display.