8th Grade Mentorship Artist Residency: Mural Project
I just began a several month long mentorship with Toms River Intermediate East where I’ll be teaching, inspiring and mentoring the 8th graders as we design and paint a huge mural together in the school.
On my first day, I was honored and surprised by this beautiful artistic welcome display that they made for me.(above)
I have been loving the time with them and their incredible art teachers and can’t wait to show you progress shots of what we create together.
The few sessions we’ve had so far remind me of the good (and awkward) memories of me being a 13 year old. I was that super dorky, short, shy and weird art kid who doodled on my notebooks all day and somehow I’ve stuck to my dreams and made it happen.
I hope that some of them are inspired and motivated from our time together.
Update…We Finished the Mural
May 3, 2024: Since February, local artist Jay Alders has been guiding and instructing both staff and students at Intermediate East as part of a residency grant program funded by Artists in Education (AIE).
At the heart of the artist residency – is a mural which students have been sketching, designing, and creating for the past several months, under the direction of Alders and art teachers Elisa Waller and Allison Berman.
Yesterday afternoon, as part of a school-wide celebration, that mural was revealed.
There was music, food, and poetry readings by students in Angela Germano’s English students who were inspired by Alders and the art that was created. And the mural itself certainly didn’t disappoint, providing a ‘wow’ moment for everyone in attendance. The wall-length artwork of a wave about to crash into shore is as beautiful as it is vibrant.
“The ocean is never still, it’s always moving, and so are we,” said Waller during a brief presentation, describing what the mural represents. “It’s a reminder to our students and to all of us that the ripple effect of what we do affects everyone.”
Waller went on to say that the residency is reflected in the mural, something intended for everyone to be a part of, no matter their artistic background or skill.
“So many people have walked by and said to me, ‘Can I see the mural?'” Waller said. “‘Of course,’ I tell them, ‘and now you’re a part of it.'”
A remarkable collaboration brought the residency and its grand finale to life, thanks to the efforts of numerous organizations. The Artist in Education (AIE) program, co-sponsored by Young Audiences Arts for Learning New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, laid the foundation. The Toms River Education Foundation, with its Pride Grant, stepped up to fund the big reveal, while regional powerhouses like the Grunin Foundation and Count Basie Center for the Arts lent their support.
The unveiling event buzzed with representatives from these groups, including AIE Manager Michael Roberson Reid, Young Audiences’ Liz Winter, and YA President and CEO Michelle Russo. Jeremy Grunin, President of the Grunin Foundation, was also on hand to celebrate the occasion.
The residency tapped into the district’s Bridge to the Future program, fueled by the NJDOE’s Middle Grades grant, which seamlessly wove arts and future-focused career clusters into the experience.
By the end, the air was filled with gratitude—thank-yous, hugs, snapshots, and well-deserved congrats all around. What remains is a striking, iconic piece of artwork, a permanent mark of pride that will define Intermediate East for years to come.
