First-grade students at the Donegal Primary School are painting stained-glass mosaics inspired by artist Alma Thomas. As a Black artist born in the late 1800s, Thomas’ artwork wasn’t featured in a museum until her 80s.
Drawing from Thomas’ stained-glass style in this collaborative art project, sixth graders at the Donegal Intermediate School cut and sanded down glass that the younger students are now painting. Materials for the project were purchased with a $5,000 Donegal Foundation grant awarded to intermediate school art teacher Kelly McCart.
Glass, an expensive medium, isn’t a material that normally fits in a school’s budget, said McCart, so she’s grateful the grant afforded students the opportunity. The finished mosaics will be installed in windows along a stairwell at the primary school in May.
“It’ll be this piece that they’ll get to have forever and ever in their new building and have this connection between the older students and younger students,” McCart said.
Click here to see a video of the mosaic.