FOR ALMOST 100 YEARS, the St. Paul First Baptist Church building has been a Fourth Avenue landmark. To keep it looking good, some updates are being carried out.  One area that recently received attention is the nursery.  In addition to new paint and flooring, the nursery now sports a mural commissioned by the church’s Young Adult Sunday School Class.

The mural depicts Noah’s Ark.  It was executed by two of Katie Jessee’s Eastside High School visual arts students, Troy Mullins (senior) and Jacob Preston (junior).  Using the medium of acrylic paint, the two young men worked on the mural for several days after school.  The finished product adds a cheerful note to what is now a bright, sunny room for the church’s youngest members.

The day I viewed the mural I was unable to interview Troy because he has an after-school job at a St. Paul business (kudos to him!) and was working.  However, I did interview Jacob.  He explained that he is a first-year art student at Eastside.  So far, he has studied sketching (to develop his technique) and worked in watercolor and tempera.  He also attends the Wise County Career Technical Center where he studies electricity.  Jacob’s goal is to become a certified electrician.

We all need goals, regardless of our age.  We all need a plan for our lives.  We need outlets for expression, and we all need recognition for our work.  If you see either Troy or Jacob out and about in St. Paul, tell them you saw their mural – give them an encouraging word.

It takes a village, you know 🙂