St Joseph's Secondary School

Form 1 girls at St. Joseph's School

St Joseph's is a very well run all girls (mostly boarding) school in Arusha, Tanzania.  Over 80 girls in Form 1 participated in a one-week visual arts mural design and painting activity.  With the assistance of the school staff, volunteer guest art educators and the Arusha Women Artist's Network (AWAN) community artists, the girls created personal designs on the theme of 'Peace Around the World' that they painted on four, four foot by twelve foot canvases.  Supplies were all donated by students and artists from the U.S. and shipped to Tanzania ahead of time for the program.

80 students engrossed in painting

With 80 girls working at one time in a limited amount of time, the activity had to be well organized to allow for creativity and instruction so the process of art was understood and a beautiful product could be completed on time.  Volunteer art educators, Shari Densel and Wendy Murphy, facilitated the week's activity.  Both educators work with students at this age level in Waterville, Ohio's Anthony Wayne School District.

The theme of PEACE poured onto the canvas as well as the students and their expressions.  Words of peace were incorporated into the murals and on the borders.

A picture is worth a thousand words

Shari Densel started one mural in Waterville with her students as an example and continued the painting in Tanga, Tanzania's Burhani Primary School and then brought the mural to St. Joseph's for further painting.  The mural will be completed by Waterville students and then returned to Tanga but not before being in touring exhibitions in Ohio and at the annual Ohio Arts Education Association's Convention in early November, 2010, in Columbus, Ohio. 

Pleased faculty and volunteers at St. Joseph's

Students, faculty and vounteers gathered at the conclusion of the program for a group picture.  Three of the murals remain at St. Josephs and will be permanently displayed.