Meghan Taylor: Illustration & Graphic Design

Part II: Muraling in a Rural School in San Salvador

I returned to the Apopa school several days after drawing the mural outlines, this time in company of a crew of about 40 Salvadoran volunteers. Everyone was ready to fill in the mural with brilliant color, as well as to rehabilitate the rest of the school by creating gardens, a playground, and repairing the furniture and structure.

Cups of colorful pigments and paintbrushes of all sizes were handed out to the mural team, and we got to work. All the volunteers were dedicated and working hard, and graciously putting up with my stilted Spanish. (Gracias amigos!)

Pictured here, a Salvadoran army soldier and a young girl work together to paint a big happy whale in the underwater scene mural.

Part of Glasswing International’s mission (and part of the point of public art, in my opinion) is to connect all levels of the community. The connection shined through in Apopa on this day. Army soldiers were present at the school with an abundance of weaponry in response to heightened violent gang activity in the area. They stood on the outskirts of the school property watching the whirlwind of volunteers at work. Eventually, they were invited to join in. With shy smiles on their faces, they uncertainly came over. Someone handed them a few paintbrushes, and soon they were knee deep in the mural work, carefully painting the scenes alongside volunteers and community members.

The school was a different place at the end of the day, and the community a bit closer together for it.

Below are some pictures of the final murals. Check out the full photographic portrayal.