KIPP Compton

At KIPP Compton Community School, a large exterior wall became the canvas for a mural centered on four pillars: Gratitude, Teamwork, Discipline, and Self-Love.

Developed with Hoopbus University, the project brought students into the creative process from the beginning. I led a hands-on workshop and translated the students’ ideas into a mural design that combines expressive typography, vibrant color, and playful illustrations, giving their creativity a lasting presence on campus.

From Ideas to Design

I designed a creativity lab that invited students to explore what the four pillars meant to them and how those ideas could be expressed visually.

Through a series of guided exercises, students brainstormed, sketched, exchanged feedback, and refined their concepts. The workshop was designed to move from individual thinking to collective exploration, giving everyone an opportunity to contribute.

Back in the studio, I reviewed the students’ drawings, words, and symbols, selecting and refining elements that could work together. Those contributions informed a larger composition, where expressive lettering, playful icons, and blocks of color gave the individual ideas a shared visual language.

Bringing the Mural to Life

The design was built around the four pillars, each given its own typographic treatment and color field. Iconic illustrations weave through the composition, creating moments of discovery within a bold, readable structure.

Moving from digital artwork to a building-sized mural required careful consideration of scale, placement, and color. I finalized the mural design and prepared it for production. Muralist Kat Bing executed the design on-site, hand-painting it across the school’s exterior wall.

The finished work retains the energy of the students’ original contributions while bringing everything together as one composition.

A Lasting Reminder

The students’ sketches and conversations now live on an entire school wall. Their ideas are no longer confined to paper, but became part of a shared environment—something they recognize and see themselves in.

Scale makes the message immediate, while the smaller illustrations invite a closer look. Together, they create a piece that belongs to the school, not just because of where it was painted, but because of the voices that shaped it.

For the students, the mural is a daily reminder of the four pillars—and a visible reflection of their own creativity.