Mural Coming To Sussex Avenue School Cafeteria In Morristown

MORRISTOWN, NJ — The Sussex Avenue School is getting something new, and about 90 fourth-graders will help. Artist Caren Frost Olmsted will oversee the creation of a mural with the theme of healthy bodies and minds.

The project will begin Wednesday, with volunteers needed Monday to Feb. 9. Students, teachers and parent volunteers will paint. One wall will have a large heart made up of colorful, healthy fruits and veggies, while another wall will depict silhouettes of children playing at dusk.

"The Sussex School Cafeteria Mural gives us the opportunity to come together to create transformative artwork," Olmsted said. "During the pandemic, we have deeply missed opportunities like this one that build school communities. While we cannot have parent volunteers paint with their students during the school hours, they will be able to get to meet and paint with other parents and teachers painting the mural after school."

Olmsted is the owner and principal of the Olmsted Mural Group. She specializes in collaborative mural projects, and her works have appeared on national television and in print media, as well as several galleries, schools, businesses and homes across the country.

The artist has designed and created more than 250 murals in her career, including 90 murals in schools across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. Each mural project varies in size and scope, from 25 to over 200 linear feet. Each mural is uniquely designed in collaboration to suit the space and the people who will enjoy the mural for years to come.

Find more of Olmsted's artwork here.

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