EASTHAMPTON – Some painted sports equipment, others painted people and many painted ice cream in a large mosaic installation created by city kindergartners centered around a theme taken from the school district’s motto: “Easthampton: a great place to learn and grow.”
Some 120 kindergartners from the Maple, Center and Pepin elementary schools each painted a scene on a tile about what makes the city so special. The 4-by-4-inch tiles were then installed in three separate frames that will be hung in the Municipal Building at 50 Payson Ave.
“It’s really symbolic,” said kindergarten teacher Sue Pouliot. “It’s the three schools working together, coming together as one.”
The pieces are currently hanging in the Easthampton City Arts+ gallery in old Town Hall, after being unveiled during ArtWalk last week. It will soon be moved to the current home of city government, and Pouliot hopes that should a new school be built in the future, the kindergartners’ art could be moved there.
On Monday, students in Pouliot’s class were sitting criss-crossed on the floor after coming back to the classroom from gym. They excitedly talked about how they chose the subjects of their paintings.
“I drew a heart because I love people,” MaKinzy Engerman said after standing up to address the class.
Chase Canon-Smith said he was inspired by one of his favorite sports teams, the Giants. “I drew a football because I love football,” he said.
Sports were a common theme.
“I drew a ball and a bat because I play T-ball,” Thommy Meehan said.
Food was another common depiction. Pouliot said ice cream was one of the more popular subjects.
“I drew an ice cream cone because I love ice cream,” Lucas Ouimette said, citing Mt. Tom’s Ice Cream as his favorite place to get a scoop.
Liam O’Brien also picked one of his favorite foods.
“I made a pizza because I love Antonio’s!” he said. Though his painted pizza included pepperoni, he admitted the salty topping was getting old.
“I’m kind of tired of pepperoni,” Liam said.
Pouliot said the idea for a mosaic came to her one night when she couldn’t sleep. Soon after, she applied for an ECA+ grant to make the project happen. She was awarded the $1,050 grant in January.
The kindergarten teacher enlisted the help of city artist Christine Kenneally, who, along with volunteers, worked to put together the tiles in frames.
“We needed to find people who would help me make this come alive,” Pouliot said.
And she’s very pleased by the results. “You just can’t help but smile when you see it,” she said.
The students seem to agree that passersby in the Municipal Building will be impressed by their work.
“I think they’re gonna be like ‘whoa, that is nice!’ Raemon Mathurin said.
Parents probably will enjoy the artwork, too, MaKinzy said.
“If your mom or dad is there, maybe they’ll say ‘whoa, is that my kid?’” she said.
“I think I know what my mom will say,” Raemon said. “’Wow, these are beautiful!’”
Chris Lindahl can be reached at clindahl@gazettenet.com