School Name, Colors Replace Landscape Mural

The week before the Thanksgiving holiday break, a new “Campolindo” mural was painted on the front of the large gym.

Painting began on Monday, November 14, and was finished by midday the following Tuesday. Painters from Court Graphics, a local painting company, began their work with a simple sketch and worked quickly and efficiently. “They’re a company that has worked at several different schools in the school district and in the East Bay,” Principal John Walker explained.

The mural displays the phrase “Campolindo Cougars” in white red and blue. Walker recalled the appearance of previous mural, saying that it had been “damaged, it had faded, it was cracking.” The old painting, which once was a full landscape and portrait of a cougar, was peeling by the edges.

Walker felt the old mural had not only been physically deteriorating, but also that “it had lost its integrity.”

When it came to the design for the new mural, Walker’s wasn’t the only input that was considered. He explained that students’, staffs’, and even parents’ opinions were considered. “We ran some mock designs by different people, including our art teachers, who have a good sense of perspective and design,” Walker said.

During the initial brainstorming process, Walker said he knew he wanted to incorporate the school’s colors. “We knew we wanted to have the school name, and we wanted to have the mascot name,” he said.

Mrs. Langston, Art 1, 2, and Honors Art teacher, had the opportunity to review designs for the final mural. “Mr. Walker sent me a couple of samples that I guess the designer had sent him,” Langston said. “I was just given 2 different samples of Campolindo lettering, with the C on it,” she mentioned. “He asked me to look them over, see what I thought.”

“I just helped him to figure out what he liked about certain designs, and what he didn’t like about certain designs,” Langston added.

With the shiny new coat of paint fresh on the face of the gym, Walker was glad to have the artwork finished. “I’m glad we got it up before it starts to rain,” he said. “It’s the type of project that once you start, with some of the preliminary work, if it rains, you have to start over again.”

“I’m very pleased with how it turned out,” Walker said.

He’s not the only one. “Feedback I received from people who hadn’t seen the mockup of it has been positive,” Walker said.

Freshman Beatriz Dutra E Mello voiced her enthusiasm for the new mural as well. “I think it’s cool,” she said. “I like the old one, but I like this one too because it’s different, and it actually says the name.”