Academy of Arts and Academics students paint Springfield mural celebrating Oregon laborers

As the 2023 school year draws to a close, students at the Academy of Arts and Academics (A3) in Springfield are busy painting a mural highlighting how “Labor Builds Community" to the downtown core.

The mural is a collaboration between students in teacher Nissie Ellison's art class at A3 and Lane Arts Council teaching artist Alejandro Sarmiento.

The mural is made up of 15 metal panels depicting the history of labor in Oregon, from its founding to the present. When installed later this summer, the 61-foot wide-by-8-foot tall mural will be the largest in Springfield, according to staff at the school.

“I’m thrilled our students were able to be involved in this project,” A3 principal Ame Beard said. “The final design is a visible recognition and reminder of the many roles labor continues to play in the community and has intertwined art, learning and the labor movement.”

For more information about the project, visit: lanearts.networkforgood.com/projects/166825-springfield-labor-mural-project.

Contact photographer Chris Pietsch at chris.pietsch@registerguard.com, or follow him on Twitter @ChrisPietsch and Instagram @chrispietsch.