Space Shuttle Challenger mural at my high school

When I was a student at Deer Creek Mackinaw (Dee-Mack) High School in Mackinaw, Illinois (1984 thru 1988) I was really into anything that was even remotely related to art. I loved drafting classes and all of the different art classes too. Our art teacher, Mrs. Schultz, organized some of the best art students there and had them paint a few organized and approved murals around the school. I was allowed to paint a Space Shuttle mural upstairs on the big 2-story wall just outside the library. I was also into space, and I had some NASA photos and mission patches and I basically just painted a collage of some of the items in that material. I dedicated the mural to the crew of the Challenger mission that was lost during their launch on January 28th, 1986. This large mural was a big project for a high school student … and I never actually technically finished the mural. I had intended to paint land masses on the earth, but never got around to it. I took these photos in the summer of 2002, so the mural was at least there for 14 years. I think they had to paint over it a few years ago, though.

01-overallmural.jpg

02-reverseangle.jpg

03-astronautdetail.jpg

04-ascentdetail.jpg

05-dedicationdetail.jpg

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Kurt

4 thoughts on “Space Shuttle Challenger mural at my high school”

  1. Wow! I remember that mural. I don’t think I ever realized that you painted it. Kurt, it was a respectful, yet hopeful memorial.

    You did good.

  2. WOW!!! You are an artist too??? okay the amount of talent in you is starting to sicken me (lol) and now that i know you can do professional murals I’ll have to pass your name around… don’t tell Sam 🙂
    NICE WORK!

  3. i remember that day as well i was at school teacher turned on the tv to watch
    a shuttle go off sadly that day 7 wonderful people died there eyes on god now Alicia

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