In a class that goes far beyond the halls of Miami University’s Art Building, students hunch over their workspaces, collaborating on a semester-long project. The end goal? Create a mural for Newport on the Levee, a bustling entertainment hub across the river from Cincinnati.
Michael Stillion, an assistant teaching professor and practicing artist, teaches the first-ever semester of Mural Art 320. After being contacted by Newport about the opportunity, Stillion jumped at the chance to create a class that would allow students to enhance their skills and take charge of the process.
Through talks and meetings with officials, the class narrowed in on a design and “vibe” for the mural. While many people know about Newport on the Levee because of its active nightlife, the area wants to shed new light on its more wholesome aspects.
“They want it to feel like there’s a vibe of family-friendly to nightlife,” Stillion said. “They’re trying to make sure that they brand themselves as a place that can be active from daytime to night.”
Although Stillion assists his students each step of the way, students play a key role in steering the class and leading much of the work. They created original designs based on Newport’s vision and are the ones on their hands and knees spreading gesso; working together to make adjustments based on the client’s needs.
The class is student-led, testing students' communication and listening skills as they collaborate on the project.
While group projects are not new to Miami’s campus, this class takes it one step further by having the entire class collaborate on a single project, rather than splitting students up into groups of three or four. Abby Bunch, a junior majoring in studio art and minoring in art and architecture history, said she appreciates working with so many other students while undertaking painting an entire mural from scratch.
“I think it’s really cool to see all of our different strengths come together on such a large scale,” Bunch said. “I've only done a handful of things this big before, and I’ve never done it with so many people.”
The class isn’t limited to art majors. Students from other disciplines are also active class members and their fresh perspectives have already proven useful. Chelsey Pauley, a junior with majors in studio art and arts management and a minor in digital marketing, said working with students from different areas offers a great opportunity.
“When you’re only around art majors all the time, it’s easy to focus in on the same themes and the same ideas, and maybe you’re missing an aspect,” Pauley said. “[Kind of] like how we have an architecture major – he’s able to bring a lot of perspective on the building designs, because he has studied structural things, and he knows how to draw them and how to incorporate them into [the] design.”
The sense of teamwork that’s emerged has made the class particularly special to Stillion, with every student contributing in some way towards the end result.
“The artwork isn’t just an individual’s piece – it’s everybody’s,” Stillion said. “It’s been really enjoyable to watch them function as a team.”
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