Internationally Acclaimed Art Miles Mural Project Co-Creates Special Multi-Cultural Mural With Natchaug Elementary

July 6, 2023

As part of the Windham Public Schools’ Educational Program Partnership with the Farmer’s Cow, the locally-based farmers’ cooperative of six privately-owned family farms dedicated to farming and farmland preservation with a paramount focus on community support and growth (see link: https://www.windhamps.org/article/1130968), both parties have expanded their joint venture and educational programs to develop and implement the next evolutionary step of their combined efforts – the design, creation, and promotion of student-based murals at Natchaug Elementary.

The murals, completed after five days of designing and painting onto the elementary school’s asphalt playground’s open space, were brought to reality thanks to the valuable efforts and support of the Art Miles Mural Project, and in particular the Project’s founder, director, and Doctor of Fine Arts, Joanne Tawfilis. Dr. Tawfilis founded the Art Miles Mural Project over twenty years ago with her late husband, Fouad, and built the Project into an internationally-acclaimed IRS-recognized 501(c) 3 non-profit organization that has created over 5000 murals in over 100 countries.

Windham Public Schools (including primarily Natchaug Elementary) had learned of Dr. Tawfilis and the Art Miles Mural Project (through the Farmer’s Cow), and all of the good work the Project had done for children and students around the world for over two decades – as well as its healing and educational program support – with some of the Project’s venues being the Peace Day Celebration and Peace Bell ringing at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, and the Earth Day Celebration and Mural Display with Earth Day Founder, John McConnell, mountainside overlooking Denver with nearly five total miles of murals laid out side-by-side.

“I am so grateful to Natchaug Elementary, and of course the Windham Public Schools district and administration, for supporting this project – it was truly a social emotional educational learning experience for the school’s participating students, and a refresher for me, of my own remembrance that I am a first generation American born from my own blending of multi-national parents – like many of the young students whom I had the honor and pleasure to work with, who themselves have parents from two different continents,” remarked Dr. Tawfilis. “We all were able to honor this cultural representation of the school’s student body and staff from a wide-range of territories and countries, including Puerto Rico, Guatemala, and many Central and South American countries as well as Spain, Italy, Afghanistan and Syria.”

“Thank you to Joanne for creating this program’s lesson about life for all of us, and in bringing us together through mural art,” added Steven Lane, Chief Development Officer of FC Development Corp. and the Farmer’s Cow brand of companies. “We were happy to help Dr. Tawfilis share her creative talent and love for art and community in support of the ‘Culture of Peace’ that she so effectively promotes and brings to local schools and communities, along with the many United Nations-based programs she co-develops and brings to reality, throughout the world.”

The entire Farmer’s Cow brand of companies supports Windham Public Schools through their ever-developing and expanding educational partnership program called Community Collaboration and Real-Life Experience. The co-developed program focuses on three main components: community partners, schools, and parents. As a community partner, they provide support and collaboration through special events, educational seminars and local partnerships. Through schools, they engage with students and staff in practical, real-life experiences including work opportunities, internships, and mentorship programs in various industries. And with parents, they are building programs to drive involvement in events, partnerships, and employment opportunities structured to develop career pathways.

Natchaug Elementary School principal, Eben Jones, said, “At Natchaug School we have benefited exponentially from our partnership with Dr. Tawfilis and her Art Miles Project; The Farmer’s Cow; and the Ossen Family Foundation that funded the project. These partners have helped us cultivate relevant exciting hands-on experiences for our students. In particular, they have helped us by creating opportunities for students to understand local farming and to celebrate the diversity of our community by highlighting global connections.”

For more information about the Farmer’s Cow, please contact: Steven Lane, Chief Development Officer at lane.s@fcdevcorp.com

For more information about Windham Public Schools, please visit our website at www.windhamps.org.

FC Development Corp. functions as a management and development entity for the Farmer’s Cow brand of companies, partnering with the Farmer’s Cow Collective of six Connecticut-based family farms, and leading the Farmer’s Cow Calfé & Creamery collection of restaurants and kiosks, as well as other farming and community-based programs and projects. The Farmer’s Cow, originally established in 2003, in Connecticut, serves many local and regional communities throughout nine states, including throughout New England.