Four Core Values: Safe, Kind, Helpful, Polite
By Page Eastburn O’Rourke and Mary Rehak
Location: Rowe School Atrium | Dedicated in November 2010
In response to a vision from Rowe School Principal Dr. Catherine Glaude, mural artists Mary Rehak and Page Eastburn O’Rouke had the wonderful opportunity to create a mural for the large, light-filled atrium of Rowe School. Dr. Glaude sought a colorful mural to enhance the atrium’s ambiance. She applied for and received a grant, making this project a community-focused endeavor.
The atrium had previously been adorned with colorful kites in the years following the school’s opening in 2003. Dr. Glaude envisioned a mural that would reflect the school’s core values and foster a sense of community. Mary and Page wanted the students to be part of the mural creation process. Every Rowe student submitted drawings to be considered, with each classroom assigned a different core value to illustrate. The artists received hundreds of creative and exciting illustrations depicting SAFE, KIND, HELPFUL, and POLITE values.
From these illustrations, Mary and Page designed the mural, selecting a warm, cheerful palette that would brighten the atrium. The project spanned the entire school year, culminating in the completion of the four final designs by the end of 2010 school year. The mural was painted during the summer of 2010, working on ladders and scaffolding and included as many different student images as possible in the four compositions.
Artists Statements
Page Eastburn O’Rourke: “A painting feels complete when it carries the spark of magic connection between my vision and the emotions I hope to evoke in my viewer. When I feel the piece, my hope is others will experience the same freedom & delight,
My art celebrates the values I've embraced throughout my life: a sense of community, connection, and joy I have the creative pull to paint a series of still lives that incorporate meaningful subject matter from my life basket of blueberries picked by my son, flowers from my mother's beautiful flower gardens, and vases that were a wedding present.
Through my ongoing exploration of color, texture, and abstract forms, my art is an expression of joy I seek to share with the world.
I graduated from George School, a Quaker school in Newtown, Pennsylvania, and went on to major in Fine Art at Trinity College in Hartford Connecticut. I also studied illustration at the Parsons School of Design, all of which have shaped my artistic journey.”
Mary Rehak: “I focused on art throughout high school and received a BFA, majoring in Drawing, from Carnegie-Mellon University, in Pittsburgh, PA. I knew I wanted to be an artist from a very early age. I enjoy working inmost mediums, but specifically, I enjoy drawing, ceramics, and printmaking. I am a certified State of Maine art educator with an MS in Special Education from the University of Southern Maine.
Art is a universal language that represents emotion without the need for verbal communication or written words. It is a bridge to unite experiences, whether for social change, emotional insight or aesthetic enjoyment. Art has the power to foster empathy and human connection, uniting diverse experiences across cultures and generations. For me, art is a tool for reaching the diverse needs of students, fostering self-expression, and encouraging the discovery of identity.
I taught workshops for many years. When my children were young, I substituted in the Yarmouth School system, and I decided to obtain my formal State of Maine certification. To begin my career, I held two long-term positions at Rowe School, taking over for the art teacher. The year 2009-2010 was the year Dr. Glaude suggested the mural project. I have taught K-12 art at Waynflete School for15 years.”
