Ten months after the Newtown tragedy where 26 students and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary lost their lives, the healing efforts continue.
On Friday, they put the finishing touches on a colorful project that, literally, paints a bright picture of the people in the Newtown community.
The previously bare walls at the popular Newtown Youth Academy have been spruced up.
Los Angeles-based mural artist Nichole Blackburn donated her time and talents and painted the walls after the community center approached her to help with the project.
Blackburn was assisted by some Newtown art students, and spent nearly two weeks painting the halls and conference room.
“This facility, in particular, just had white, sterile walls and they needed to add some color. There’s children, there’s seniors and this really is the hub of the community,” Blackburn said.
Alisa Farley, the Communications Director at the Newtown Youth Academy said, “in our opinion, to do something big and bold was really going to give us that kind of permanence. The walls now match the spirit of the staff and the town.”
The official dedication was Friday afternoon when kids from Newtown got to see the mural for the first time. All the paint supplies were donated by Sherwin Williams, Purdy Paint and Modello Designs.