By Heather Fabritze
Student Life Editor
The second phase of the Goose Nest mural project is underway. Its depiction of ecological succession moves into a wider variety of plant and animal species with this second installment.
The Office of Student Engagement has worked on the initiative with outside Creative Engagement Facilitator and Artist Kayti Didriksen since the fall semester. The mural is part of an overall effort developed by junior Megan Somers and sophomore Morgan Carlson.
The 2022 Presidential Fellows Leadership Summit, which Somers and Carlson attended, encouraged them to brainstorm initiatives to increase student engagement on campus. Painting a mural depicting forest succession was one project that arose from the prompt.
The first part of the phase depicts rocks and moss — the first stage of forest regrowth — and was completed last semester.
Carlson and Somers said they were both impressed with the work that Didriksen accomplished.
“Phase one was beautiful,” Carlson said. “There was such a fun and playful process to painting what Megan and I had planned somewhat similarly, and the mural turned out better than I could have imagined. Seeing that happen through Washington College community collaboration was incredible.”
According to Didriksen, the second phase will likely stretch until the beginning of spring break.
This part of the project will focus on the next stage of succession: grasses, flowers, trees, and shrubs, which are inhabited by small animals.
Over 30 different species will be featured in the mural. Didriksen plans to collaborate with the IDEAWORKS Innovation Suite to laser print birds on the glass of the windows and doors of the Nest.
Somers said that she and Carlson acted as “environmental experts” when deciding which species would be included. They wanted their selected species, birds and other small animals, to be accurate to the native wildlife of the Eastern Shore in order to create a feeling of authenticity.
To ensure that the representations were correct, they collaborated with students involved in environmental internships and took photos of species they found around Chestertown.
“Being able to depict the local plants to paint a picture that accurately depicts both local ecology and the story of succession is a complicated task that required planning and conversation,” Carlson said. “This process was unique because I was involved in communicating complex ecological processes that would then be visually interpreted.”
Another late addition to the original mural plan was an image of the Chester River on the doors of the Goose Nest, which they modeled after photos Somer took on a swamp tour of Echo Hill Outdoor School in Worton, Md.
According to Somers, they wanted to include a water aspect and related river plants, since the Chesapeake Bay is such a “prominent part” of the College and it would make the project specific to the Eastern Shore.
“Authenticity, though, is something we’re stressing because we want environmental students and experts alike to have fun saying, ‘Oh, that’s accurate,’” Somers said.
Adding new elements to the mural as they go along was one of the unexpected benefits of the collaboration between Didriksen and WC. The two groups worked together, combining their knowledge to create a product that is accurate to the experience of the Chestertown community.
“I’ve always enjoyed other input in my work and so it’s kind of fun,” Didriksen said. “It’s like a game to me, and it’s exciting to not know what’s gonna happen.”
Didriksen also had the opportunity to work with other members of WC, as any interested student or faculty member could assist with painting the mural. From Tuesday, Feb. 21 to Sunday, Feb. 26, Didriksen hosted open sessions where anyone could come to visit and contribute their time to the project.
After spring break, Didriksen will continue to plan and outline the project’s future phases.
Photo by Parker Thornton.
Photo Caption: The final plan for the project has the mural stretching around every wall of the Goose Nest.