McGovern Elementary School Students in Medway Paint ‘Window and Mirrors’ Mural with Help of Local Artist

McGovern Elementary School students completed the “Window and Mirrors” mural with the help of Waltham-based artist Joshua Winer. The mural is on display in the school’s front lobby. (Photo courtesy Medway Public Schools)

MEDWAY — Principal Amy McDonald is pleased to share that McGovern Elementary School students teamed up with a local artist to paint a bright, colorful and deeply meaningful mural, titled “Window and Mirrors,” which will remain on display indefinitely at the building’s front entrance.

The 30-foot-long mural was designed by Waltham-based artist Joshua Winer based on input gathered from McGovern Elementary School students, with all 360 students having a hand in painting the work of art, which winds down the hallway in the shape of a swirling brushstroke. After holding two school assemblies to garner ideas, Winer drew an outline of images, before students painted the panels that make up the mural on the week of May 18.

“We now have this beautiful mural that really brightens up the hallway and adds a lot of vibrancy and character to our front entrance,” said Principal McDonald. “Once it was up, all the children said that it’s so beautiful. It really exceeded my expectations. Every child here helped paint the mural. It’ll be on display hopefully forever.”

The “Window and Mirrors” mural was made possible by a $5,000 grant from the Medway Foundation for Education. The school applied for funding in the spring of 2024.

“We were very excited that they funded this grant,” Principal McDonald said. “We chose the artist because he previously did a mural at the Memorial School that came out great. Josh was wonderful to work with. He had the mindset and patience that were needed to work with children. The outcome is just beautiful.”

The mural depicts a hand wielding a paintbrush that appears to paint the rest of the mural, including an image of two mustangs (the town mascot), children of different races reading together and holding hands, a pumpkin patch (representing the farming community in Medway), and other images of nature, including sunflowers, birds, a butterfly, and the sun. At the center of the mural, under an arch framed by two windows, is a heart-shaped mosaic mirror, bearing the words “I CAN,” an acronym for the school’s motto, which surrounds the image, “Include, Cooperate Achieve, Nurture.”

“The mirror is a way of reflecting the community that’s inside of the school and outside of the school,” said the artist behind the mural project, Joshua Winer. “The mural represents windows out into the town of Medway, into the wider world of nature, and a person’s mind. The mirror is a way of reflecting the community that’s inside of the school and outside of the school, a window into their minds and heart.”

After the design was approved by the school, Winer drew the images on panels with a Sharpie, before students were joined by parent volunteers during art class to paint in the mural with acrylic paint. After all the panels were painted, the mural was installed on June 2.

“It’s always a pleasure. I love working with children,” said Winer, a Wayland native, who specializes in public and community art projects, with a career spanning back to 1986. “I’ve done a couple hundred projects like this all over the world. It’s always a little different. These children were as nice as could be — very friendly, enthusiastic and hardworking. They were a delight to work with. It’s a real honor to be part of the community, together with the students and the parents.”

Winer is a graduate of Yale University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and painting, and he also holds a master’s degree in architecture from Harvard Graduate School of Design.

“I’m thrilled and so pleased the school decided to do this project and we were all able to make it happen,” Winer said. “It’s a big piece. We went from having a big blank wall to a bright enlarged work of art. The students remember the work they put into it, and it will be there forever. It’s very exciting for everyone. The students were so excited. A section of the mural is a mirror on a heart. It’s a pleasure for the children to see themselves as they walk by, reflected in that mirror.”

Principal McDonald said the school is proud of the outcome of the mural project, noting how it was so steeped with meaning and symbolism.

“Josh did a great job of telling a story,” Principal McDonald said. “At the middle of the mural are children reading books. We have a very strong focus on literacy at an early age. That’s very important to our community. It also shows a hand of a child with a pencil, representing the foundational skills we’re building in the early grades, really setting children on a strong path for the rest of their lives. The pumpkins are a nod to our farming community, and also our PTO puts on a Pumpkin Fair every year. I love the shape of the mural. And then there’s the mosaic mirror, so children can see a reflection of themselves in the mural, which is pointing out the impact they are going to have.”

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After holding two school assemblies to garner ideas, artist Joshua Winer drew an outline of the images, before students painted the panels that make up the “Window and Mirrors” mural. (Photo Courtesy Medway Public Schools)

The “Window and Mirrors” mural features an image of a pumpkin patch, representing the farming community in Medway and the annual Pumpkin Festival held by the PTO. (Photo Courtesy Medway Public Schools)

The “Window and Mirrors” mural depicts a hand wielding a paintbrush that appears to paint the rest of the mural, including an image of mustangs, the town mascot. (Photo Courtesy Medway Public Schools)

At the center of the mural, under an arch framed by two windows, is a heart-shaped mosaic mirror, bearing the words “I CAN.” (Photo Courtesy Medway Public Schools)

After all the panels were painted, the “Window and Mirrors” mural was installed at the front entrance hallway inside McGovern Elementary School on June 2. (Photo Courtesy Medway Public Schools)

Students painted in the panels of the mural with the help of artist Joshua Winer during their art classes. (Photo Courtesy Medway Public Schools)

The 30-foot-long “Window and Mirrors” mural was designed by Waltham-based artist Joshua Winer based on input gathered from McGovern Elementary School students, with all 360 students having a hand in painting the work of art. (Photo Courtesy Medway Public Schools)

The “Window and Mirrors” mural was made possible by a $5,000 grant from the Medway Foundation for Education. (Photo Courtesy Medway Public Schools)

After the design was approved by the school, artist Joshua Winer drew the images on panels with a Sharpie, before students were joined by parent volunteers during art class to paint in the mural with acrylic paint. (Photo Courtesy Medway Public Schools)

After holding two school assemblies to garner ideas, artist Joshua Winer drew an outline of images, before students painted the panels that make up the mural on the week of May 18. (Photo Courtesy Medway Public Schools)

Students painted in the panels of the 30-foot-long “Window and Mirrors” mural during Caroline Markowski’s art class. (Photo Courtesy Medway Public Schools)