The Echinacea Project
Mural at The Sunflower Garden
7th Street & Morgan, Santa Rosa, CA.
With Echinacea and pollinators as subject matter the kids took off on an adventure of painting all sorts of bees and butterflies they have been learning about.
The setting is a beautifully cultivated flower and vegetable garden. The leader and head horticulturist is Sorrell Allen and she has been leading them as they plant squash, herbs, corn, artichokes, and beans and of course all of the flowers attracting bees and dragonflies that are needed to keep everything growing. Gigantic Sunflowers everywhere tied into tee pees seem to anchor the garden.
I met the young “gardeners” in early June. A gentle group of 6 teens eager to paint the barn with a lively mural about the garden. I came in ahead of time to create a veiling effect as a base or background to their work.
We decided on an oversized Echinacea flower.