Local artist Michelle Armstrong, who teaches at Cardinal Valley Elementary, recently wrapped up a year-long mural project in downtown Lexington. Her artwork – which depicts a beehive, native Kentucky flowers, and bees – appears on all four sides of The Hive Salon and ArtHAUS, at 156 Deweese St. Armstrong got an assist from several student groups, including the Sisopromateum Art Club, the Cub Scouts in Pack 121, and Cardinal Valley Elementary’s art club.
Each group worked with Armstrong to design a hexagon as part of the beehive with a message about helping the honey bees. Her school’s art club students came up with the slogan “Keep calm and save our pollinators.” They also painted some of the flowers in the mural, adding highlights and shadows. As the children worked on design ideas, stencils, and their slogan, they learned not only about art processes and painting but also about why protecting bees is important.
Armstrong and the owner of The Hive Salon, Carla Brown, received a grant from LexArts and also ran an Indiegogo campaign to raise money for the project.