Artist and children together make a winning combination

By Clinton J. Sosna
Botelle School’s littlest academic achievers were often denied the pleasures of artistic appreciation while navigating the halls of the school, simply because the display cases holding the artistic works of the school’s students were set too high for even the most excellently executed tippy toes. They would have to make do with what their vivid imaginations could do with the textures residing behind some rather drab paint. Norfolk artist Karen Rossi and a dedicated team of sixth graders remedied that situation by spending several months creating a literal rainbow valley through which even the youngest students can stroll.
It is tradition for the sixth graders graduating from Botelle Elementary School to leave a parting gift. The 2017-2018 retiring class prepared for their exit, aided by faculty and parents, by raising funds during the school year. The fundraisers included a pasta dinner and a thrilling one-of-a-kind mixer that included community members and guests from surrounding towns, who danced the evening away and enjoyed convivial activities and refreshments. The Botelle mixer was such a success it has been deemed a yearly necessity. The proceeds from the fundraisers paid for a vibrant, cheerful mural conceived by the sixth graders and supervised by Rossi.
Botelle Principal Lauren Valentino said she was impressed by how Rossi “included the children, validated their efforts and gave them an experience they could be proud of.” Valentino also stated, “the colors are vibrant, the details whimsical—perfect for our elementary school.”
At Botelle, rainbows are a recurring theme, so including one in the mural was agreed upon unanimously. The children and Rossi brainstormed, made sketches and vetted submissions. The flora and fauna chosen to best enhance the rainbow scene came from this process and the majority of the mural features the student’s designs. Rossi tied it all together and produced a final sketch that was quickly approved.
Approval in tow, the students met with Rossi after class to paint. The students worked on the more basic portions of the mural, while the artist attended to the finer elements. Rossi noted that for her, “the most joyful part of the experience was watching and listening to the children’s amazement as the work progressed. It was heartwarming.” Several of the students took time out of their summer schedule to spend additional time with Rossi on adding final details, and the mural was ready for the first day of school.
Rossi recalls that last spring as the project was just beginning, the youngest Botelle students, making their way to their buses with eyes as big moons, pointed to her and exclaimed “That’s an artist!” Of her art she states, “It’s colorful, it’s playful, it’s whimsical, it’s childlike.”
In the final analysis, it’s perfect for Botelle.

Photo of some of the young artists by Marc Crone. Front two rows, left to right: Ginny DeCerbo, Akeela Christianson, Ben Crone and Stephanie Nejak. Principal Lauren Valentino and muralist Karen Rossi in back row.