Two seniors in Stockton University’s Visual Arts program were recently selected out of dozens of entries to display their artwork in the Atlantic City International Airport terminal.
Evan Carr, of Bloomfield, and Laura Randall, of Galloway, submitted their proposals to a mural competition that the airport hosted as part of their course “Design for Community Partners” with Professor of Art Hannah Ueno. The artwork was unveiled in a ceremony at the airport on April 25.
“We are honored to partner with these students to bring their visions into our terminal, transforming our airport into not just a place of departure and arrival, but a place of expression and connection,” said Stephen Dougherty, executive director for the South Jersey Transportation Authority, which operates and manages the airport.
The theme of the murals is “The Future of Aviation.”
Carr’s mural is titled “It’s All Up from Here” and features brightly colored, familiar aviation symbols. In designing his first mural, he was intentional in making the piece feel inviting.
“Travel can be stressful sometimes,” Carr said. “It is my hope that this mural can brighten up the space and bring joy to a good deal of passengers and travelers who see it.”
Randall’s mural takes inspiration from the future generation of pilots and engineers in the aviation industry. Her piece – titled “The Aviators of Tomorrow” – features a young boy wearing a pilot’s cap as he looks out of a plane window bursting with color and sparkles.
The process of painting the mural took the student artist around 30 hours to complete, along with help from her professor, friends and family. During the process, she was able to have meaningful moments with travelers, with some children making the same face as the boy in the mural when they came across her artwork.
“All of this has been mind-blowing,” Randall said. “Painting this took a lot longer than I thought it would, but I had a lot of help, and it was really cool seeing it all build piece by piece and come together at the end.”
When Ian Marshall, dean of Stockton’s School of Arts and Humanities, first heard about the mural competition, he was “thrilled” at the idea of a talented student in the Visual Arts program receiving recognition for their work. When two winners from Stockton were announced, he was extremely gracious yet unsurprised, referencing how the program has grown over the years.
“We are attracting talented students from across our region and state, who study printmaking, sculpture, graphic design, illustration and photography. Evan and Laura are excellent examples of the quality of students we have,” Marshall said. “Now, travelers from across the country and the world will get a sense of the good work being done at Stockton as they enjoy the beautiful artwork on display.”
According to Ueno, the students’ participation in this competition helps show them that art “has a place beyond the studio.”
“A public art project like this mural art experience challenges students to think conceptually to fit the venue, learn to collaborate with others and do creative problem-solving while overseeing the process from the beginning to the end,” Ueno said.
“It is also important for the student artists/designers to understand that there were many stages and people who have helped in order to bring a project to the finish line,” continued Ueno, thanking various individuals from the airport, Stockton and Alpha Graphics for supporting the student artists.
Due to the art world’s constant evolution, Carr wasn’t specific about his future aspirations, but he wants to serve his local community and bring various artistic visions to life.
“It’s a satisfying moment when you are able to provide a client or friend with the satisfaction of their idea becoming a reality,” Carr said of working with the airport on this project. “What started as a vague theme of envisioning the future of aviation is now a fully realized mural on their walls, looking to brighten the days of travelers from all over. I hope to encounter more endeavors like this in my future.”
Photo credit: Lizzie Nealis
