Mural at Drexel Lodge Park: Bringing Our Community Together Through Art

by Sheila Turner-Hilliard

Photos courtesy of Wade Pollock

This month we are shining a spotlight on a community art project designed to bring people together by sharing messages of love, hope, light, inclusivity, joy and peace.

The Art Mural at Drexel Lodge Park is a collaborative effort between the Newtown Square Parks and Recreation Committee and our four-area public elementary schools - Culbertson, Loomis, Russell and Worrall.

Wade Pollock, Chairman of the Parks and Recreation Department, explained how the project came to be. “We wanted to design a mural that would welcome everyone to Drexel Lodge Park,” he said. “In December 2020, I reached out to Andrea Mogck, who is the Art Teacher at Worrall Elementary.” Wade said that Andrea was quick to respond and offered to coordinate with the other elementary school art teachers and school administrators to make it happen.

Wade said that George Sharretts, Newtown Square’s Director of Public Works was instrumental in procuring all of the required materials for the project which is being funded by the township. The mural will be painted on the exterior walls of the Drexel Lodge Park building that houses the park’s restrooms. Drexel Lodge Park is located on West Chester Pike and is home to a historic train museum, two ponds with walking bridges, two large playing fi elds, a gazebo and covered pavilion as well as a railroad-themed playground.

Mural overlooking the playground First step is to create the basic outline

The design and inspiration for the mural come from Romero Britto, a self-taught Brazilian artist who uses bright, vibrant colors and fun patterns to convey messages of hope and happiness. Britto is one of the most famous Pop Art painters of our time, and his work can be seen all over the world in museums, on billboards and even on licensed apparel like backpacks and sneakers.

Adding color to the outline (L-R): Andrea Mogck (Worrall), Liza Spratt (Russell), Jill Bialy (Culbertson), Kim Trigone (Loomis)

“The process of designing this mural is very organic,” said Andrea. “In April, we started collecting Britto-inspired portrait paintings from our 4th- and 5th-grade students.” Andrea said that those portraits will be projected onto the walls to be traced and then painted. The younger students worked on designing symbols and creating messages of light and hope that will be layered in with the portraits and patterns.

Working on a project that takes place off school grounds is not an easy task, and the pandemic certainly slowed their progress even more. But the teachers and students are ready to fi nally start bringing their vision to life. Loomis Elementary School Art Teacher Kim Trigone said, “The students at Loomis are all very excited about this district-wide mural project. What a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase our artistic talents while working together as a community to help make our parks more beautiful!”

Over the next few months, teachers and students will gather at the park to begin the process of building the landscape with outlines, layering in the color, projecting and painting the portraits and adding fun and colorful patterns. “The end result will be a collage of elements that honors our collective spirit and spreads our students’ messages of light and hope at a time when we need it most,” Andrea explained.

Student portraits that will be projected and painted on the walls

Wade and all the Parks and Recreation Committee members are extremely grateful for the efforts of the many students and teachers who are participating in this project. “These four teachers turned the project into something larger than we ever expected!” said Wade. “In the face of a most challenging school year, they are working to create a vibrant community space that will be treasured by everyone.”

The goal is to have the mural completed by the end of the school year, but everyone is encouraged to stop by from time to time to see the different stages of what it takes to paint a mural. Culbertson Elementary School Art Teacher Jill Bialy said, “Many students were eager to share with me how they visited the park over the summer to see the beginning sketches of the mural. They cannot wait to see their colors, patterns and designs fi ll the walls of the mural.”

Aside from working together to create a beautiful display of art, Andrea said that the students are learning a valuable lesson about how some things take time to create. “In this world of instant gratification, it is important to slow down and appreciate the process.”

Drexel Lodge Park is located at 4140 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square. The park is open every day from dawn to dusk. Visit their Facebook page for more information about their community programs and special events.