Collaborative Public Art Project | September 2023 - June 2024 | MUSD Elementary Students
Special year-long student art project funded by California Arts Council
Signs of Courage
Video Editing by Jorge Davies, Graphics by Melissa Sabol





OVERVIEW
Signs of Courage is a public art project collaboratively created by MUSD 6th grade students and professional practicing artists. The final art installation will consist of 11 art signs (think road sign mural) that present positive and encouraging messages in response to challenging issues students face. These 11 signs will be temporarily installed together at the 29 Palms Community Center and the project will be documented in a short film and screened in June 2024.
For 9 months during the 2023-24 school season, our teaching artists will guide a group of 6th grade students at all elementary schools through a series of visual art projects that encourage students to openly explore social and emotional issues. Each teaching artist will work with students on projects that express themselves via messaging, graphic imagery, typeface, color, shape, and scale.
ARTISTS

Rhonda Lane Coleman
Lead Artist

Meg Shannon
Teaching Artist

Margeaux Walter
Teaching Artist

Melissa Sabol
Graphic Design Artist

Wendy Hunt
Teaching Artist

Marcia Winn
Teaching Artist

Jorge Davies
Filmmaker

Jen Shakti
Teaching Artist

Sarah LaChance
Teaching Artist

Jacobine Van Der Meer
Teaching Artist

Heather Sprague
Teaching Artist

Devino Tricoche
Teaching Artist
DETAILS
CORE PROGRAM
All Students | First Four Months
We will use our Core Program of featured artist videos, art project videos, and classroom instruction to provide a foundation for Signs of Courage. The first four monthly core projects will expose all students to messaging, graphic imagery, typeface, color and shape to convey ideas. This will allow all students, not just 6th graders, to have exposure to the process, and a solid understanding when they vote on the signs at the end of the year.
ART JOURNALS
All Students | All Year
At the beginning of the year, ALL students will be given materials to create a special Art Journal where they can safely express themselves and creatively experiment with images and words. We will provide weekly prompts to get them started.
THOUGHT BOX
All Students | All Year
Throughout the year, students will have access to the ThoughtBox, which is where students can anonymously deposit thoughts, feelings, and concerns.
SIGNS OF COURAGE CLASSES
6th Graders | Oct 2023 - May 2024
6th grade Students will have one extra art class per month, where they’ll work with the teaching artists to further explore these ideas and develop art signs. Our teaching artists will filter the anonymous info that comes from the ThoughtBoxes to our 6th students who will work on creating positive messages and building out the signs. These specialized classes will be student centered, require collaboration, create a sense of community, and allow students to take charge of a large-scale project.
PUBLIC ART EXHIBITION & SHORT FILM
Jun 2024
The final art installation will consist of 11 art signs (think road sign mural) that present positive and encouraging messages in response to challenging issues students face. These 11 signs will be temporarily installed together at the 29 Palms Community Center and the project will be documented in a short film and screened.