Seascape adorns walls

A crab, an octopus, shark, jellyfish, sea turtle and sea horses are brightening the City Park beside the splash pad.

The splash pad, opened the end of May 2019, is closed this summer because of covid-19 restrictions. While it’s closed, Parks Commission members are having a mural painted on all four walls of the building which houses the equipment for the splash pad which was built with a 50/50 grant from Arkansas Parks and Tourism.

Art students from the Arkansas Arts Academy are practicing and enhancing their painting skills on the murals. Students working on the mural include seniors Elizabeth Fanning, Reese Abbott, Tyler Miller, Basil Battin and Sophia Stumbaugh, all of Rogers; and Abby Alexander, of Fayetteville. Teachers Crystal McWilliams, 2D visual art teacher, and Aaron Jones, Arkansas Arts Academy 7-12, Rogers.

“It’s almost better without little hands in it; it gives them a little bit more free range,” Parks Commission member Theresa Jackson said.

“When were in school … all of the students” collaborated on the design, McWilliams said. She took the students’ ideas and made one large design. “It’s a really good experience for them. They now have an idea of what it entails.” “It’s totally a group effort!” The weather has not hampered the work.

“Every day, it’s like a storm bubbles up … do we leave? Do we stay? Is it going to rain? Is it just cloudy?” McWilliams said. “Fortunately, because it’s warm and it’s summer, it dries really fast.”

Abbott said, “Making sure it doesn’t drip onto the other colors” was the most challenging part of the work.

Interestingly, the group was working Saturday when police visited in response to a report that someone was “tagging” or painting graffiti at the park.

“Funny story already,” she said. “They were out here Saturday and some concerned citizens called the police … they thought they were taggers… it was so funny. The police officer got a big hoot out of it.”

The Parks Commission has allocated a budget for the paint, according to Theresa Jackson, member of the Parks Commission.

“It’s so cute, so fun and the colors are so vibrant!” Jackson said.

TIMES photograph by Annette Beard Senior art students Elizabeth Fanning and Reese Abbott paint the sea joining teacher Crystal McWilliams, center right, and teacher Aaron Jones paints a bright red crab on the mural at the Pea Ridge City Park splash pad building Thursday, July 2.

Courtesy photograph Arkansas Arts Academy teachers Crystal McWilliams and Aaron Jones work on the sea creatures and various shades of blue in the mural at the Pea Ridge City Park splash pad.

Courtesy photograph Arkansas Arts Academy students working on the mural include seniors Elizabeth Fanning, Reese Abbott, Tyler Miller, Basil Battin and Sophia Stumbaugh, all of Rogers; and Abby Alexander, of Fayetteville.

TIMES photograph by Annette Beard Senior art student Reese Abbott said she enjoyed working on the mural at Pea Ridge City Park.

TIMES photograph by Annette Beard Teacher Aaron Jones adds his touch to the mural as students Elizabeth Fanning and Reese Abbot work on the blues of the sea.