Place to be Greater- Mountains, Music & Mural

Cottrell Elementary partnered with visiting artists Sarah Conarro and Julian Bozeman of The Painted Cloud, a New York based collective, for a week-long artist-in-residence. The project, Unity, brings together first grade students to create a collaborative mural inspired by the mountain colors and native flowers surrounding the school. Through painting, songwriting, and video documentation, students will explore what it means to contribute to something bigger than themselves — and what happens when we create together.

'Unity' is rooted in CES's school-wide theme, Be Greater Than Before (B>B4). The project is place-based, drawing directly from the mountains and environment that students see every day, and interdisciplinary, weaving together visual art, music, and storytelling into a connected experience. Students will work alongside professional teaching artists as well as their own art and music teachers, building creative skills that go beyond the regular curriculum.

The shared creative experience supports social-emotional learning in real, tangible ways: students practice collaboration, self-expression, and respect for one another's contributions. They see their individual choices become part of a whole.

The project prioritizes family engagement. Families were sent a questionnaire, and their responses were integrated directly into the mural and song — making each family's voice a part of the finished work. The mural has been permanently installed in the school as a lasting reminder of what this community built together.

'Unity' is the kind of well-rounded arts integration project that connects academic learning with creative practice, supports the whole child, and strengthens the bond between school, students, and families. It empowers students as lifelong learners and creative thinkers — and it gives them something to point to and say, "I helped make that.” 

This project was featured in Dahlonega Magazine 2026, with credits to the LCEF, community members, and artists, and students.