Gem City Rainbow
Gem City Rainbow. Laramie High School Mural Project. Designed by Sam Robertson with Parker Jackson, Rebecca Watson,
Shelly Miller & LHS art students. Science Consultants: Chris Moody and Bern Hinckley, Artistic Director: Paul Taylor.
Painted by 2019 Shepard Symposium on Social Justice participants.
April 2019. 12' x 52"
GEM CITY RAINBOW MURAL PRINTS AVAILABLE
Gem City Rainbow Story
When the Railway surveyors looked down from the Laramie Range on our future possible town landscape they witnessed the sparkling lights of our special natural springs dotting the valley floor. Inspired, they named Laramie, the Gem City of the Plains. This mural features Laramie's world class precious Casper Aquifer that provides 50% of our water; City Springs in the center; Spring Creek flowing into the Laramie River to the L; and the water evaporation cycle. Symbolically inspired by Australian Aboriginal culture and Spiritual Law of the Rainbow Serpent who brought water to the world. Our mural teaches us to "Care for Country", especially our water.
Principal Designers: LHS art student Sam Robertson along with Parker Jackson, their art teachers Rebecca Watson and Shelley Miller. Dots and texturing completed by 2019 UW Shepard Symposium participants. Artistic Director: Paul Taylor. Science consultants Chris Moody and Bern Hinckley.
Artist Statement
Paul Taylor came to Laramie High School to try and find some kids to help him work on one of his aspirations; art. I caught wind of the project through my art teacher and decided that I’d go see what it was all about, but I was hooked from the start and stuck with it until the end. The mural is inspired by and uses much of Aboriginal symbolism. It shows its inspirations; the concept of the water cycle and the Casper Aquifer, as well as the many springs throughout and around Laramie.
We made the basecoat and the design on our own (Myself, Paul Taylor, Rebecca Watson, and Parker Jackson), but later we presented it to the public at the Shepherd Symposium where the public was open to working on it using an Aboriginal technique called “dot-work.” This project has certainly affected me, so to speak, and has inspired me to keep art in my life for as long as possible and make it my goal to inspire others to do so as well.
Principal Designer
Samuel Robertson, LHS Freshman
Sam Robertson Parker Jackson
