The Camp Verde Community Library’s summer reading program “Oceans of Possibilities” is wrapping up after more than a month of art activities, STEM lessons and more.
On July 13, about 20 children, ages 4 to 12, arrived at the library for the last art activity creating their final pieces to hang up on the library’s “ocean” mural, designed by Camp Verde artist Mary Rush.
The children also met Rush for the first time, as she’d been working on the mural bit by bit during odd hours.
“It’s probably been a good 20 hours,” she said of her work, which involved several “power painting” sessions where she worked five to six hours at a time.
“Painting like that takes a lot of energy, because you’re constantly making decisions,” she said. “I don’t know if people realize that; I think they think that [artists] are just out there having a blast, which basically we are, but we’re using our brains too.”
Prior to designing the mural, which spans the length of the outer wall of the children’s library, Rush said her largest piece was only 60 inches by 60 inches.
Rush said that the size, scale and realistic nature of the paintings were the most challenging aspects of the work.
“It did build some confidence that I didn’t know I could paint those things,” she said. “I paint more abstractly and that’s where I feel best and most comfortable and I have the most fun. To paint realistically was a challenge.”
Some of Rush’s life-like sea creatures include an octopus, turtle and a shark, which she said she used small photos as references. Another artist, Grace Maeder, painted an orca.
“She just walked in one day and saw me painting and asked if she could paint with me because she’s a marine biologist,” she said. “It was interesting and she did a great job.”
Rush, Maeder and the children used fluorescent paint for the project, which glows under a black light mounted overhead.
Some of the children said they’re happy and proud of the work they’ve done, while others remarked they enjoyed learning and working on their favorite projects, such as the jellyfish and the seahorses.
For the moment, the mural will remain hanging in the library, while Rush and others have discussed what to do with it.
“My idea was that, because it’s on paper, they could roll it up and use it as a teaching tool; or it could generate revenue for the library,” she said. “Maybe somebody would want to buy the turtle; they could auction off [pieces] like the octopus to make money. There’s all kinds of stuff they could do.”
Rush said the best part of the project was interacting with visitors at the library and seeing people engage with the project online.
“I happened upon a Facebook post; somebody had taken a picture of the mural and posted it saying, “Did you see this person and display at the library? The library is doing such great things.”
“The community is very proud of this library,” she said. “I would love for them to be able to make some money and continue their excellent programs, because they really do good things.”
