More Than Paint: Diving into Johns Creek’s Murals

Hayden Won, staff writer

At Johns Creek High School (JCHS), history isn’t just recorded in yearbooks. It’s written across the walls, where murals encompass the passion and potential of student bodies past and present. The works, scattered throughout the building, stand as time capsules and vivid reminders that each graduating class leaves its mark long after their last bell rings. 

For some, murals may seem like mere decorations. While some are, most have something to convey whether it be school pride, a club message or a collective achievement. The meanings behind JCHS murals have evolved into something more lasting than the brushstrokes that construct them. Each one becomes part of the school’s identity, linking generations of students who may never meet, preserving the collective identity of JCHS. 

This year, that tradition continued when the National Art Honor Society (NAHS), in partnership with Student Council, designed a new mural to be painted in the literature hallway. At the core of its design features a quote, an excerpt from Nobel Prize winning novelist Kazuo Ishiguro, that highlights the human experience in literature. “Stories are about one person saying to another: This is the way it feels to me. Does it feel the same to you?” Ishiguro makes a point that literature is more than plot and narrative, it’s an invitation to empathy from writer to reader.  

“I think murals are important, especially to the art community. . . I think this is especially important in our school environment due to the stress that students may encounter throughout the school year,” said Emma Gouglemann, NAHS Co-president. 

This collaboration between NAHS and Student Council integrates the creative pulse of our school with a desire to foster school engagement and inclusivity.  Although it is a testament to its home in the literature department, the mural is intended to message something broader than that. The quote also signifies the role of connection in communication. That despite the ranging perspectives and diversity among the school body, self-expression and empathy can point to a common humanity.  

“Murals are more than decoration. They give a school character that students can rally around. At the same time, they give the school some color, a break from the grey cinder blocks, while celebrating the creativity of past students while inspiring the next generation to leave their mark,” said Lucy Liu, Student Council president. 

Unlike yearbooks or photos that get tucked away, murals are impossible to ignore. They greet and guide students every day, whether that be in the form of a positive reminder or a waypoint on campus. That visibility makes them more than art; they are communal symbols. For this reason, it’s important to make a mural, to some degree, speak to all of JCHS. Even students who didn’t even pick up a paintbrush or attend school at the period of its inception should be able to gain something. 

Some murals stand out for their distinctiveness, others for their ability to unify. Students say the best ones strike a balance and are unique enough to be memorable, yet broad enough to resonate with the entire community. This balance between relatability and artistic liberty is an essential yet unacknowledged challenge to the process. 

“Especially if they were requested murals, typically it takes a team to come up with an agreed-on concept and design for the mural itself, and even then, the timing to get everyone to come together and paint it takes weeks.” said Gouglemann. 

Murals remain steadfast in their position on the school walls, serving as a silent, unmoving anchor for the restless and ever-changing flow of students who pass by them daily. They remind everyone that while faces change, the rich identity of JCHS endures. With every new mural, another layer of history is added, proof that school spirit is more than a moment, but a painting of JCHS students and faculty past and present.