There are some new murals in town reflecting the nature and spirit of the Gunnison Valley, thanks to the creative handiwork of local high school artists Tazlina “Tazzy” Pozner, Hailey Huresky and Maxfield Bostick. Three new murals were recently installed at local self-storage facilities as part of a mural design contest for secondary art students at Crested Butte Community School.
Earlier this spring, the owners of Looking for Storage partnered with Crested Butte Community School for the mural contest. Students in Nathan Motsinger’s secondary art classes were invited to create original designs for murals, with three winning designs selected to be professionally produced and installed on each of the three Looking for Storage properties, including Elk Mountain, Slate River and Discount Self Storage.
The Looking for Storage owners wanted to create a fun opportunity to support local talent that combined art, community and local pride. “This is a meaningful way for us to support student creativity while enhancing our buildings with local character,” said co-facility manager Kris Travis. “We knew the high school had some talent, and what better way to boost community and have something showcased on our facilities that makes people smile and feel inspired. How cool for the kids to go by our buildings and see their work on display. It has a lot of meaning to it.”
Motsinger saw the project as an opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world impact. “I’m always looking for creative avenues for my students. I thought this collaboration was a great opportunity for them to challenge and push themselves with art,” he said. “The students were excited to work on a project that could live on in the community. The chance to design something permanent, with professional production and public visibility, is a unique opportunity and a great motivator.”
Using the Procreate graphic design program on their iPads, students were encouraged to highlight the valley’s natural beauty and favorite local activities in their designs. “We let them have free range with anything related to the valley and Crested Butte,” says Motsinger, who worked with each student individually to fine-tune their creations and design concept composition. “They got a real taste of the graphic design process.”
The contest received 18 submissions, and the Looking for Storage team had their work cut out for them to narrow it down to three designs, said Travis. “The selection process was tough. We were so impressed by everybody,” she said. “We hope it encourages more kids to pursue art.”
The winning designs were by Huresky, Bostick and Pozner. “Hailey has really pushed herself in creative ways and has an eye for design,” said Motsinger. “Maxfield is a great student, this is right up his alley and he came up with a couple of cool designs. And Tazzy was quietly cranking away and came up with a great design that the judges really liked. I love getting to see my students spread their wings.”
The winners’ artwork came to life this month when the designs were professionally produced and installed on each of the storage buildings, done by Off Center Designs in Gunnison. Each winning artist also received a $1,000 scholarship prize.
“It’s a beautiful moment for the students to combine learning with being a part of a real-world experience,” said Motsinger, who hopes to continue collaborations with the community and local businesses on projects that involve high school art. “We always need more artwork in the community.”