San Pedro’s very own artist and inspirational speaker Chris Emmanuel travelled to Mankota, Minnesota in the United States where he painted a mural along with 85 students in the College Access Program at Minnesota State University.
Chris worked with Latin, Asian, African, black and white students that fit into the category of students often referred to as “underrepresented”. The College Access Program is a five week summer program and to celebrate the conclusion of the first week, as well as celebrate MSU’s commitment to offering college access to a diverse student population, each student contributed to a spectacular mural in the Wigley Administration Building, attached to the Centennial Student Union. Chris Emmanuel was invited to conduct this special mural and occasion to talk to the students.
Stretching wall to wall above the registrar’s window, the mural was designed by our very own island artist Chris Emmanuel. Chris’s connection to MSU comes from a group of faculty who was visiting San Pedro to help create education programs for children and happened to enter his studio. Word travelled and Emmanuel was invited to MSU’s campus to design a mural that would celebrate campus diversity.
Titled “A cycle of life” the layers of the mural depict students as they learn, leave school and travel out into the rest of the world.
Chris said that he has painted several murals but none, however with 85 fellow artists involved. After tracing his mural design on the wall, he set up a paint-by-number system for students. After having completed the work, the mural was unveiled to a crowd of family and university officials.
“The painting mirrors the idea that we are all interconnected and that we are all seeking harmony,” said Chris Emmanuel who was honored to have been given this opportunity.
