KU graduate Clara Rozmaryn recently completed a five-day mural project at the Mitzvah Garden KC (MGKC).
Spanning over 40-feet, the mural aims to beautify the garden space ahead of peak volunteer season.
Rozmaryn found inspiration for the mural through spending time in the Mitzvah Garden and learning about its impact. The hill in the foreground of the mural was inspired by MGKC being up on a hill behind The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah.
Rozmaryn created the mural over the span of a week as Mitzvah Garden staff members, including founder and chairman Ken Sonnenschein and Farm Manager Nick Smith, as well as a rotating cast of volunteers worked nearby on mulching, weeding, planting and more.
“I was able to come and volunteer for two hours one Sunday morning, and I took a bunch of pictures of all the flowers that I saw. I talked to Nick [Smith] and Ken [Sonnenschein] and some of the people that run the garden, and they told me about all the bees, pollinators and all sorts of things about the plants and trees and fruits and vegetables, and really the whole story of everything.”
Close up shot of the east side of Mitzvah Garden KC’s new mural, featuring pollinators, flowers and vegetables grown by the garden.
Mitzvah Garden volunteers and staff members shared their thoughts about the project.
“I think this mural is exactly in line with the theme of the Mitzvah Garden KC. Part of it is beautifying the space we’re in, and taking tikkun olam and tikun haadamah literally,” Smith said. “The majority of people up here at the garden are here for peace and relaxation. This new mural beautifying the area just goes well along with it and makes the garden as pretty as possible.”
“It’s a beautiful addition to highlight the countless hours and dedication that our many volunteers and individuals bring to the garden every year, every month, every day,” Mitzvah Garden volunteer Mackenzie Morse said.
Rozmaryn recently graduated from the University of Kansas’ School of Design and Architecture with a degree in industrial design and will go on to work as an assistant furniture designer at Anthropologie Home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While her educational background focuses on product design, Rozmaryn has completed several mural, sewing and graphic design projects.
Artist Clara Rozmaryn poses with the north side of the mural, featuring her signature and two sunflowers.
“I’ve always loved doing all kinds of art, and painting at a big scale is a really fun way to paint, because it makes a big impact,” Rozmaryn said. “You don’t have to focus as much on the small details, and you can have more fun with the bigger picture of it all.”
MGKC is the third organization Rozmaryn has provided artwork for, but the first in Kansas. In the past, she has completed murals in preschools and churches in Indiana.
“All the murals I’ve ever done have been in community spaces,” she said, “and something that I really like about it is that the feedback that I hear from everyone is more meaningful to me than the work itself. It brings people together and gives people something fun to talk about. It also adds a new, fun, colorful, creative element to a space that they might not have had otherwise.”
The mural is available for anyone to see on the Mitzvah Garden grounds, and more of Rozmaryn’s work can be viewed at clararozmaryn.com.
The entire community is invited to volunteer throughout the season, March to November, on Sunday mornings from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. MGKC welcomes volunteers of all ages, faiths, cultures and backgrounds, including individuals, families, Girl Scouts, high school clubs and more.
Those interested in more information about MGKC or joining its email list can email Ken Sonnenschein at .
