Following the tragic passing of Coach Gary Jones in February, the Visual Arts Council spent last spring creating a mural in his memory which was displayed in the 8th Grade Locker Commons this fall.

While the Visual Arts Council does a campus community project every year, the 2024-2025 8th grade leads decided on the mural project as an obvious tribute. Jones, an 8th grade Physical Science teacher and track coach, had been celebrating his 50th birthday at Lake Oconee in February 2024 when the tragic event happened. 

Reflecting Jones’ impact in the Middle School, the mural features a track athlete, physics formulas, and an inspirational quote said by Jones: “Never conclude at the beginning that something is impossible.” 

Beginning in January, the leads sketched the first rough draft and copied the design onto 16 separate canvases which would come together to form a mosaic. During the painting process, the members used acrylic paint and everyone contributed. By mid May, the project was finished and the team’s hard work paid off. 

However, the team struggled to finish, having only the Friday meetings to work. Members of the council often had to meet after school. With the rushed time, members felt stressed, leading to disagreements. The team had trouble getting the right colors for the track runner. “We had one point where the girl’s skin was orange,” says Head of Visual Arts Council Lauri Jones. Despite the challenges, the group compromised and the piece eventually came together. “My favorite part of the process was watching our members really problem solve and make it work and overcome challenges,” says Jones. 

However, the painting didn’t get installed until the beginning of this school year. Although the painting was finished by mid May, the Westminster maintenance and faculty was not able to get it hung due to busy schedules during that time of the school year. 

The face of the runner is Mrs. Jones’s favorite detail of the entire painting. She also loves the sophisticated colors across the whole canvas and the way the figure of the girl easily pops off the green background. “The reason that the piece is so successful is because of the limited color palette,” she says. 

Both students and teachers are positive about the mural. “It’s beautiful. I think it’s such a great representation of Coach Jones, and I think it’s a great memory,” says 8th grader Emily Klein. Many 8th graders think Jones’s quote is the focus of the piece. “The calligraphy is gorgeous, and it serves as a reminder of Coach Jones in the 8th grade locker commons,” says 8th grader Reese Tetrick.