School Courtyard Ground, Colorado Springs, CO
SCHOOL COURTYARD DOVE
education Project • 2025
SCHOOL COURTYARD DOVE
An aerial ground mural painted on a school courtyard, featuring the school's dove logo rendered at a scale visible from upper floors and drone photography. The piece transforms the concrete playground into a symbol of the school's values, turning a functional space into a statement of identity.
Gallery
Artist's Note
“Ground murals flip everything about traditional painting — you work flat, the perspective is from above, and gravity works against you in new ways. But the payoff is unique: students see their symbol from classroom windows, and the school's identity is literally under their feet every day.”
— Rachel Dinda
Inspiration
The school community chose the dove to represent their values of peace, aspiration, and community. Placing it on the ground rather than a wall was my idea — it makes the symbol feel foundational, as if it's built into the school itself.
The Process
Painting on concrete requires aggressive surface prep and weather-resistant paint. I worked on my hands and knees for the detail sections and used extension rollers for the larger fills. The geometry of the dove had to be calculated for how it would look from above, not from eye level — a different kind of perspective math than vertical murals.
Community Impact
Students watch it from their classroom windows and point out 'their' dove. The school uses drone footage of the mural for promotional materials, and it's become their most recognizable visual asset.
Project Details
Location
School Courtyard Ground, Colorado Springs, CO
Year
2025
Size
600 sq ft
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