Rainbow Pathways
(click on pic for larger view)Rainbow Pathways. Laramie High School Mural Project. Designed by Mitchell Gray with Rebecca Watson, Justin Deegan & LHS art students. Science Consultant: Chris Moody; Artistic Director: Paul Taylor.
Painted by our Laramie community at ArtConnect Gallery over the month of July as part of their Sacred Water art show.
July 2020. 10' x 52''.
Rainbow Pathways Story
Rainbow Pathways is inspired by our local hydro-geology together with Aboriginal indigenous wisdom.
Our mural highlights the dynamic and vulnerable nature of our Casper Aquifer that "works" 24/7 for our community, mysteriously in the underground dark. It gifts our community up to 1100 gallons/min of pristine quality groundwater, filling the big tanks on the hill and flowing into our homes. On the western slope of the Laramie Range east of our City, rain and snow-melt filters through cracked limestone
into layers of sandstone "rock sponge". With gravity the water finds a myriad of pathway fractures, flowing in the dark, overcoming obstacles. In places it meets a fault that forces it to the surface, into the light, creating City Springs and the many springs in our valley. In Aboriginal teaching, a spring is the eyeball of the Rainbow Serpent, who brought water to the world and each spring is considered a "sacred site".
In our painting the "eye-ball of Rainbow" is our City Springs and the origin of Spring Creek. The black base layer is the Sherman Granite that contains our Aquifer water from going deeper. The salmon pink represents the "rock sponge" sandstone; the cream thin layers represent the cracked limestone; the earth red layer close to the surface represents the protective Satanka Shale that acts as a barrier to contamination for much of our City area. East of town this protective layer soon disappears, allowing for wonderful water absorption, but also major vulnerability to any possible contaminants.
We set our painting under the night sky to emphasize our Aquifer working for us 24 hours every day.
The stars represent the campfires of all our grandparents passed away, who are looking down, keeping watch, reminding us to care for our land and water.
Artist Statement
The majority of my work is in sketchbooks that rarely get seen. When I know that someone is going to see my art I want it to mean something and provide change in the world. The thing I wish for people to take away from my art the most is to take better care of the environment. I take a lot of inspiration from Aboriginal art and the message it sends. I'm currently going to art school at UW. This mural was a great opportunity for the ACCWA and myself to provide information about the Casper Aquifer to the community, the mural is designed to be used as a teaching aid for LHS. I hope my work will continue to inspire people to be more conscious about how their daily lives affect the environment. Mitchell Gray
Mitchell Gray
Aquifer Pathways: "What is happening underground"
The dynamic nature of our Casper Aquifer.
Hear from hydrology consultant Chris Moody, on the dynamic nature of our Casper Aquifer and the mural that was completed in its honor this last August. 'Rainbow Pathways' mural designed by Mitchell Gray; with Rebecca Watson and Justin Deegan's LHS art students; and painted by our Laramie community. Science consultancy by Chris Moody. Artistic direction by Paul Taylor. Filmed and edited by Conor Mullen and Mike Vanata.
