MMS Students Collaborate with Stifel Artist for Project

Through a teaching artist residency with Oglebay Institute, students at Marshall County’s Moundsville Middle School created a unique mural using the school’s Trojan mascot.

The project was in the style of the famous artist Chuck Close who painted small squares to look like blobs of paint, but when viewed from a distance, created a larger-than-life sized portrait. Stifel Fine Arts teaching artist Brad Johnson collaborated with MMS Art teacher Tabetha Morgan and her student teacher AJ Butcher to guide students through this project.

During the course of the semester, students practiced their painting skills, explored the style of a famous artist and learned how to collaborate with other artists on a project.

The completed mural will be on display at the Moundsville-Marshall County Public Library for community viewing before returning to Moundsville Middle School for permanent display.

This residency was generously supported by a grant from the EQT Foundation.

Part of the nonprofit Oglebay Institute, the Stifel Fine Arts Center in Wheeling is a public arts center with galleries, classrooms and performance space. Beyond its walls, Stifel teaching artists bring visual arts experiences to local schools, community groups and neighborhoods through workshops and residencies.