Reina De La Lluvia, Duena De Los Charcos (Queen of the Rain, Owner of the Puddles)
As the artist explains: “The design was meant to focus on the instinctive exploratory learning that goes on at [ages 3-5]. Children at this stage are so amazed by everything! Because they are so young they come across something new daily. They have to be protected from this curiosity because they are so innocent and have no idea of danger, evil, aggression. They want to smell, touch, play with everything. It’s the most pure stage we’ll ever be in. Walking in puddles. dancing in the rain, rolling on grass, playing in mud, picking up worms all things that we at some point wouldn’t even consider doing but as children these are things that take their breath away.”
The mandala that forms the focal point in the mural is filled with images of things children might find in a garden. The snowflakes depicted in the mural are representative of individuality but also of things created in classrooms as children. As part of the project, a community paint day was scheduled where members spent several hours creating and painting their own snowflakes.