The Online Reflector

By Kim Puckett | News Editor

Creativity and collaboration combine to change the face of campus in one student’s honors project. Ashley Seaton, a junior visual communication design major, plans to involve the University of Indianapolis community in “Mural to Merge,” an interactive art campaign.

“I’m really passionate about fine art, even though I’m a visual communication design major,” Seaton said. “I also have a minor in business. I wanted to do a project that integrated everything I have been working on over the past three years.”

Seaton has begun planning for a mural that she says will depict the essence of the university, students and the surrounding city.   The mural, tentatively scheduled to be placed in Schwitzer Student Center, will draw from students’ and faculty’s creative input both during the design and implementation stages.

“I will be distributing about 20 journals throughout campus for people to write, doodle and illustrate in about their experiences at UIndy,” Seaton said. “This is a hands-on way for people to give me opinions on what they would like to see in the mural.”

Seaton has not set an exact date, but the mural painting is tentatively set for late August. Seaton said she will sketch the mural in a paint-by-numbers format so students, faculty and alumni can get involved in the creative process.

“We have always been really modest as an institution,” said Greta Pennell, chair of the honors college. “We have always done great things in quiet ways. People are beginning to see that, but to have a visual representation, I think, that’s just another way to tell that story.”

After Seaton distributes the journals, she asks that one person keep a journal for a week and then pass it on to another student or faculty member. Seaton said there will also be journals left in the library and student center for people to use. The journals are due back to the Art Department Office in the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center by April 24.
“For the campus, I can’t imagine a better win-win situation,” Pennell said. “If I’m not artistically inclined, I’m still going to be able to participate in a piece of art. I can bring my parents or my little brother or sister by and say, ‘I helped create that.’”

Seaton also has created a Facebook group page for students and faculty to add their input. Group members can write on the group wall or upload photos for inspiration. Pennell said the marketing and design of the project are “a perfect marriage of Ashley’s talents.”

“She’s been very smart in designing it because it’s going to be on panels, so that as Schwitzer and the campus grow and change, that mural could be used in different places,” Pennell said.

Seaton described her ideas for the mural as “really graphic, hip and young.” She also has designed a logo for the project as well as posters, banners and a T-shirt to promote the event.

“It [the mural] is not going to capture realism, and it’s not going to be the typical mural depicting just one scene. The panels aren’t just going to be rectangular in shape; they’re going to be a lot of crazy shapes with elements cut out of them.”

Pennell said even though an honors project proposal getting accepted on the first submission is unusual, most people get a “revise and resubmit.” Seaton’s proposal was accepted on the first submission.

“Even before we told Ashley that it was approved, I sent the summary of the proposal to President Pitts,” Pennell said. “She embraced it immediately and thought it was fabulous.”

The Honors Committee then met with Jim Viewegh, associate professor of art and design and Seaton’s faculty adviser, Dee Sehaad, art department chair and chair of the committee for art on campus,  and Mary Moore, vice president of research, planning and international partnerships to work out the logistics of Seaton’s project.