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Kennedy brings walls to life
By Denise Schoppe
Staff Writer
The Marlin Democrat
September 22, 2004
Citizens of Marlin have seen her work countless times driving through the streets of town, and now students at Chilton Elementary School will see it every day when going to class.
Sondra Kennedy is the artist behind the murals on the walls of businesses in downtown Marlin, and some of her art can be seen within the walls of Marlin schools. Her newest canvas is the halls of Chilton Elementary School.
Sponsored by the Chilton PTA, Kennedy was contacted by Candace Hall about bringing her art to the walls of the school, and over the span of a week she gave a new life to four walls in the building.
"I don't know how she does it," Gladys Graves, Chilton Elementary School principal, said. "She is so talented. Her work is priceless."
Each wall has its own theme. Messages of "Learning is Fun", "Welcome to our school" and "We make this world a better place to live" inspire and entertain the students.
"The kids are excited," Graves said. "This is really special."
The kids are part of what inspired the images Kennedy has painted. She said she came up with her ideas from things she heard someone say and from the faces of the children, many of whom have made their way into the murals.
"The kids do it," Kennedy said. "They are so sweet and I want to personalize it for them. The ideas just come."
Kennedy said she has enjoyed every minute of the project.
"This is a great school," Kennedy said. "The staff is a great team. The kids are so fun to watch going down the hall in single file. They are so well behaved."
Graves said it's been a pleasure having Kennedy doing the work and said that the walls seem to come to life as the paintings progress.
Kennedy started painting originally out of a need to work. She'd started selling Mary Kay, when she volunteered to decorate windows at Christmas for Joyce Reese.
"She needed an elephant for Christmas, and I hadn't painted in years," Kennedy said. "But I got it done and delivered it on Christmas Eve."
Kennedy eventually went from decorating windows at Christmas to painting murals on buildings. She said she'd never painted a mural like that before, but took on the task anyway.
"I started out of having to," Kennedy said. "I never said I couldn't do anything. If you try, you can. I kept trying."
An artist at heart, Kennedy's creations move past painting. She also makes pineneedle baskets and sculpts with clay for fun.
"You have to love what you do," she said. "That applies any job and everyone."
By Denise Schoppe
Staff Writer
The Marlin Democrat
September 22, 2004
Citizens of Marlin have seen her work countless times driving through the streets of town, and now students at Chilton Elementary School will see it every day when going to class.
Sondra Kennedy is the artist behind the murals on the walls of businesses in downtown Marlin, and some of her art can be seen within the walls of Marlin schools. Her newest canvas is the halls of Chilton Elementary School.
Sponsored by the Chilton PTA, Kennedy was contacted by Candace Hall about bringing her art to the walls of the school, and over the span of a week she gave a new life to four walls in the building.
"I don't know how she does it," Gladys Graves, Chilton Elementary School principal, said. "She is so talented. Her work is priceless."
Each wall has its own theme. Messages of "Learning is Fun", "Welcome to our school" and "We make this world a better place to live" inspire and entertain the students.
"The kids are excited," Graves said. "This is really special."
The kids are part of what inspired the images Kennedy has painted. She said she came up with her ideas from things she heard someone say and from the faces of the children, many of whom have made their way into the murals.
"The kids do it," Kennedy said. "They are so sweet and I want to personalize it for them. The ideas just come."
Kennedy said she has enjoyed every minute of the project.
"This is a great school," Kennedy said. "The staff is a great team. The kids are so fun to watch going down the hall in single file. They are so well behaved."
Graves said it's been a pleasure having Kennedy doing the work and said that the walls seem to come to life as the paintings progress.
Kennedy started painting originally out of a need to work. She'd started selling Mary Kay, when she volunteered to decorate windows at Christmas for Joyce Reese.
"She needed an elephant for Christmas, and I hadn't painted in years," Kennedy said. "But I got it done and delivered it on Christmas Eve."
Kennedy eventually went from decorating windows at Christmas to painting murals on buildings. She said she'd never painted a mural like that before, but took on the task anyway.
"I started out of having to," Kennedy said. "I never said I couldn't do anything. If you try, you can. I kept trying."
An artist at heart, Kennedy's creations move past painting. She also makes pineneedle baskets and sculpts with clay for fun.
"You have to love what you do," she said. "That applies any job and everyone."
