Gayle is a visiting teaching artist through the Arts in Education Residency program in Anne Arundel County. She creates custom mural projects for local schools, introducing students to her mural process. Gayle inspires and empowers each student through creativity and community, working together on a single goal.
I was so excited to see this beautiful mural installed on Thursday, February 17th, 2023! A wonderful addition to the library's entrance wall of Broadneck Elementary School. The design is based off their mascot, the bee. Bees are incredible creatures and an essential link to our food chain. I wanted them to be our foundation to the mural and since this was a library a perfect place to have a honeycomb hive was in a book! So I put the two together and planned a beautiful flourishing garden above with the help of the bees working together as a community, surrounded by the Magothy River and the Chesapeake Bay. I may have designed the initial mural plan yet it is filled with hundreds and hundreds of flowers all individually designed and painted by the 284 -3rd and 4th grade students during a 3 week artist in residency in April 2022. Art teachers Mrs. Walsh, Ms. Councill and I had a fantastic time working with all the students. We sketched the outline, and spent the first week painting the water, grasses, sky, and honeycomb. The second week began the details of the flowers and the bees started to form. The third week was focused on fine-tuning water ripples, the pages of the book, (yes that's a huge book! But only half of it...the other half will be coming soon!) Then students designed their flowers and painted as many details as they could before the residency ended on April 8th, 2022. The panels were brought to my studio so I could fine-tune the work, add a few bees and the large sunflower detail. On April 20th, 2022 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and needed to step away to focus on treatment. I returned 8 months later with the help of a few friends fine-tuning each of the 532 flowers. The joy it brought me was beyond therapeutic and just what the doctor ordered! These sweet flowers, honeycomb and bees made me realized we all grew together and the idea of adding the words "Grow Together" was born. This also inspired the plan for the opposite wall which will be created by the current 3rd graders this coming March so stay tuned! One last note - Can you spot the tiny little caterpillar in the flowers? There is only one and I hope you can find him! Enjoy!
Broadneck Elementary School Library Mural, 7.5ft by 20ft , 4 PVC Celtec Panels by Vycom, Designed & Created by Gayle Mangan Kassal and 284 - 3rd & 4th Grade Students
Acorn growing up to a mighty Oak
Foyer Mural
Imagine the World Living as One
Cafeteria Mural
Environmental focus on the
Chesapeake Bay Exterior Mural
Highlighting the surrounding areas
Exterior Mural
Education is the passport to the future Cafeteria Mural
Cardinal Mascot & AVID Foyer Mural
This collaborative mural was created with every student, all 680, right before our wild year of COVID. A cheerful indoor pollinator garden to inspire care for our Chesapeake Bay, loving where we live!
Every acorn has a bright future and grows into a mighty oak!
250 sq.ft acrylic on celtec/pvc
"Living as One" collaborative mural created at Corkran Middle School with Ms. Drummond’s 6th gr. art students. 16’x5’ cafeteria mural is displayed in a place of sharing and community.
“Imagine the World Living as One” embodies the school system motto, 'We Are Better Together' Mrs. Schwer, Corkran literacy coach: “When art meets people where they are, magical things can happen! Even better: art has the power to heal people... It is my hope ... that our students will “see” themselves in this mural, feel a sense of belonging, and know they make a difference at Corkran Middle School.”
Special thank you to The Arts Council of Anne Arundel County and Corkran's Student Council "Living as One" 16' x 5' - Acrylic on Celtec PVC panels
©Gayle Mangan Kassal
Corkran Middle School's Ribbon Ceremony. This 80 sq. ft. mural was created by all 7th grade Digital Palette & True Color Students.
Art Residency 2018, 180 + square feet
300 + students - 3rd to 5th grade all painted during our 3 week adventure
240 + sq. ft., 600 students - K to 5th grade
All painted during our 3 month adventure
©Gayle Mangan Kassal
Tracey's Elementary School 3 year Legacy Project to brighten the mondane gray concrete retaining wall, highlighting the school's surrounding areas.