When students returned to school at Glennwood Elementary last month, they were greeted by a cheerful little gnome, a soaring eagle, and a bouncing basketball under a rainbow of sunny yellow, vibrant orange, and apple red. A new mural outside the auditorium was created by Glennwood parent and artist Jane Collins and artist Hannah-Rose Broom. Together, they brightened the space, a central location at the school where kids and families gather for a community circle a few times a month and where visitors enter the gym.
Jane’s son Teddy is a second grader at the school, so she was aware that administrators and the PTA were toying with the idea of a mural for the common area. “It was a perfect fit,” says Jane, who has lived in Decatur for three years. “We shared our portfolios, then gathered input from parents about what they’d like to see, provided sketches and worked to have the mural done to surprise students and staff when they started school.”
Jane and Hannah-Rose have collaborated on other public art projects and were thrilled to be chosen for the Glennwood mural. Principal Bill Howard and PTA president Noelle Holdsworth were instrumental in making the mural come to life. Organizers wanted a welcoming message with a tip of the hat to a few things that make the school unique: the gardening club, the walkable community, the celebration of childlike playfulness. “Movement and playfulness are big parts of being a kid and a foundation of creativity,” noted Jane.
“We featured the cute little gnome, a sidewalk with footprints and a hopscotch, a bouncing basketball, the eagle mascot and vibrant colors in the mural,” says Jane, a graduate of the Creative Circus (formerly located in Buckhead). She and her husband Joey Spearman, along with Teddy and sister June, live in a Sycamore Heights bungalow that Jane has painted with signature pops and swirls of color.
In a Glennwood Elementary PTA Facebook post, the artists were thanked. “Now that our staff and students have seen our summer surprise, we can finally shout from the rooftops how grateful we are to Glennwood parent Jane Collins and co-artist Hannah-Rose Broom for bringing this incredible mural to life.”
“More than just a beautiful piece of art, it reflects the heart of our school - a place filled with joy, kindness, creativity and community. We hope it welcomes every student, family, staff member, and visitor with the same warmth and spirit that makes Glennwood Elementary so special.”
Follow the artists:
IG @seejanemake
@hannahrosebroom