Seasons of Imagination

artist Marian Bailey
  • location

    Joseph Pennell School, 1800 W Nedro Ave, Philadelphia

  • Neighborhood

    Olney / Oak Lane

  • completion date

    October 30, 2024

About the project 

The Seasons of Imagination mural series by Marian Bailey is a collaboration between Mural Arts Philadelphia and the youth, families, teachers, and staff of Pennell School, designed to increase literacy skills through playful learning, highlight school pride, create a sense of community, and the expansiveness of imagination. This mural series is part of a larger schoolyard revitalization project with SALT Design Studio.

This mural series consists of five murals, each having their own significance while still tied with the overall purpose and incorporating Playful Learning Schoolyard’s 6C learning goals for children — communication, collaboration, creative innovation, critical thinking, and confidence building.

Back in 2019, the scope of this project was developed and initial community engagement began. Through the school community engagement, the Pennell People’s Poem was composed. This poem was utilized as a springboard to further develop the mural series concept at the start of 2024.

Watch the flowers and plants grow,
This is our garden!
Full of life!
Full of life!
Sitting under a big tree,
Hug from friends and family!

Watch nature follow birds and butterflies
We are a garden!
Full of life!
Full of life!
Being creative and inventing new things
Build together our community 

Watch out for each other,
Like we’re real sisters,
  and real brothers.
We are a human garden,
Full of life!
Full of life!

In April 2024, K-2 students of Pennell were engaged through activity worksheets to gauge on their learning interests and what gives them joy. Their responses in the form of coloring, drawings, and words, provided inspiration for Marian to begin designing the murals for the school.

View the worksheets 

Over the summer, Marian worked on designing the murals with the consultation of play specialist, Anna Forrester, to incorporate playful learning concepts in the designs. By the end of August, the artist team started to paint the murals and were on site from the beginning of September to the end of October.

Each of the murals incorporate elements from the student engagement, Pennell School identity, and playful learning activities. The entrance murals highlight the school’s mascot, the black panther, alongside other cubs. This is to signify that families can consist of different members and look different. This mural includes some of the critters and flora drawings from the student engagement worksheets.

Along the Nedro Ave side of the school, is a mural of a community garden, a visual depiction of the Pennell People Poem. In addition to the poetic cues, it is meant to be a representation of the neighborhood which the school is in from the people to the roofs of the houses.

Inside Pennell’s schoolyard are three more murals. To the right side of the schoolyard is a mural that embraces literacy and the limitless power of imagination. The drawings from the activity worksheets expressed excitement for creatures such as dinosaurs and animals, in addition to enjoying subjects such as reading and math.

The middle mural on the schoolyard encompasses the playful learning activities and continues to lean into the power of imagination. Students will be able to play I-spy and Wall Ball. This wall and doorway are a key part to students entering and exiting the schoolyard, therefore the portal adds to the magic of the experience. The young people on the swing are a direct reflection of the playground equipment on the schoolyard.

The mural to the left features more drawings by the students and an extension to the main entrance murals, creating a garden of plants and critters.

I wanted the students to feel represented and inspired by the work so there are multiple murals that have imagery of the students existing in wondrous spaces.

- Marian Bailey

Mural Series Dedication 

On December 5, 2024, Seasons of Imagination was celebrated at Pennell School. The dedication was attended by district officials, stakeholders, Pennell community, Mural Arts staff and artists. At the end, attending students got to inaugurate the murals by throwing mini beach balls on the “wall ball” game of the interactive mural.

 

Thank You! 

ASSISTED BY: Gina Kim, Isabella Akhtarshenas, Desiree Norwood; Rec Crew: Tasheema Flamer, Victoria Oliver-Fountain, Wayne Hamm, Hannah Bickert, Braheem Robinson, Shaharra “Yoshi” Robinson, Tysean Moore, Kasha Williams, Treshonna Dunston, Stephen Price, Eleonere “Tiny” NonCent, Rafael Goodman, Antonio Ruff-Fisher, Terrell Harris, Kyaan “Redz” Allen-Freeman, Keisha Vankirk, December Ablessing Collins

Project Manager: Sahiti Bonam

Project Partners

Joseph Pennell Elementary School, Office of Capital Programs at School District of Philadelphia, Anna Forrester (Play Specialist), Jennifer Lewis (Community Design Leader),

Funders

William Penn Foundation, The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia, City of Philadelphia