Five area teenagers add their talent and faces to mall mural

W hile his young students were painting images of Cape Girardeau's Main Street, riverfront and its history, artist Craig Thomas was adding some personality to their mural project.

Thomas taught a class on mural painting through the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri. Five students, ages 11 to 15, spent eight days working on the mural near the Pasta House entrance at the mall.

Thomas added portraits of each artist among the panels of the mural. So visitors will see Jackie Boos, Brittany Emmons, Alyssa Ruopp, Kaylyn Sneathen and Charlie Wallgreen among the pictures of the downtown clock, roses, university campus and riverfront.

Each student painted a separate mural, and some did multiple images.

Their work included a brainstorming session where they chose which images to include in the "Snapshots of Cape Girardeau" mural, and research on the history of the city.

Kaylyn Sneathen, a Jackson seventh-grader, painted the blizzard panel. But she wasn't born when the storm hit. Research helped her get a feel for what the panel should include.

"I learned a lot about the city and information that I didn't know," she said.

Jackie Boos said her friends have been coming by to check the work and commenting on the paintings. She participated in last year's mural project as well.

"This year is much different because it's like they're all connected and flowing," she said.

Last year's project showed more individuality among the students' work.

The mural project is a joint effort between the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri and Westfield Shoppingtown West Park.

Joyce Hunter, marketing director for the mall, said customers like to stop by the mural and check its progress. The panel that shows the Blizzard of 1979 is probably one of the most popular with passers-by.

And "it's a wonderful touch to get an idea of what these students looked like," Hunter said of Thomas' portraits.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126