Robious Elementary School

Overview

100 fifth graders + 6 colors + 5 days....!

I spent a week encouraging dozens of fifth graders (who needed no encouragement) to paint whatever they want on a wall. Then I spent another week massaging the whole explosion into a cohesive design. I've done this process many times now, allowing a large group of people to paint anything anything anything they want in layered chaos, then circling back and creating a unified composition out of it. This is the most colorful I've ever dared go with it, and I'm delighted with the results.

I always try to leave as much of the intentional marks as possible - framing and sculpting rather than covering. My hope for a wall like this is that anyone who touched it feels that they contributed meaningfully to a huge beautiful work of art, and that anyone who comes after enjoys discovering new details forever.

This wall was a capstone project for the graduating fifth grade class, and I hope it inspires many classes to come. Thanks to the 5th grade class of Robious Elementary for doing all the interesting parts and rolling with the punches when your parts got painted over (and over and over and over). Thanks to all the students, the school, and to Mr. Woodward!

Size
30’ x 9’ // 270 sq ft

DOB
April 2025

Client
Robious Elementary School

Assisted by
100 fifth graders, Andrew Woodward

Location: 2801 Robious Crossing Drive, Midlothian, VA 23113 (Interior)