Saxon Hopes Mural Becomes Tradition

Dawn Hunter is leaving a lasting impression on the walls of Ferris High School.

The South Side senior is painting a wall mural to represent the graduating class of 2000, and she hopes future seniors carry on the idea and create a lasting tradition.

“I wanted to do something unique and creative,” she said. “What with the new millennium, everything is a new start, and I wanted to do something along those lines.” She expects to complete the painting Friday.

The brightly colored mural, located on an outside brick wall between the cafeteria and the two-story classroom building, is a heart with the earth inside it and flames and star bursts shooting from the top.

“It can mean anything,” she said. “I wanted anyone to be able to relate to it.”

When she is finished, the mural should be about 5 feet wide and 8 feet tall.

Hunter and school officials are scouting next year’s senior class for potential muralists to keep the tradition alive.

The idea for the mural came from Hunter’s leadership class, where teacher Nancy Hough asked students to come up with some activity that involved Ferris, whether it be cleaning the trophy case or helping out in the school’s administration office. Since Hunter is artistic, she wanted to do something creative and came up with the mural proposal.

School administrators approved her plan several weeks ago, and Hunter has been working on the project ever since.

Hunter, who mostly draws, said she was nervous at first. This is her first painting. But so far, she’s pleased with her progress.

Previously, Hunter’s art was accepted for Ferris’ Rubber Chicken T-shirt design.

Hunter plans to attend Spokane Falls Community College and do “something creative.”

After SFCC, she hopes to transfer to a Los Angels-area university and pursue her ambition to act professionally.