Over the summer, CMU gained an intricate new art piece on the second floor of the Fine Arts building. The mural, is bursting with colors that appear to jump off of the wall. Subjects include a painting squid, a smoking bat, a skating rat, a mountain goat and even an axolotl.
The figures and colors in the piece guide your eyes through an adventure that highlights the wit and surrealism of the artist’s style.
Anna Dunn, a CMU alumni is the mastermind behind it all. Dunn graduated this past spring with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts.
“Eric Elliott gave me the opportunity. I was quite surprised at the offer and a little scared. Honestly, I put a lot of pressure on myself because I wanted it to be perfect, but when I finally started painting, I immediately knew it was going to be a lot of fun,” Dunn said.
Eric Elliot is head of the art department at CMU and an associate professor of art, with a specific focus on painting and drawing. Latin is featured a couple of times throughout the mural. On the side of the mural it states “ANA FUIT HIC,” translating to “Anna was here” in English.
On the top of the window-like structure, which gives the mural its shape, is an ovular clock with two long hands. These hands point to the time that the mural was finished. “MMXXV” is painted on the banner laid on the clock’s hand, which are roman numerals that mean “2025.”
These details might be missed at first glance, but give the piece its unique look that captures the eye. The mural gives light to art through an artist’s eye, centering a squid with a paintbrush and palette.
Jumping out from a canvas next to them is an array of animals, each full of life. Mushrooms line the leafy green ground, and vines delicately climb the scene.
“This project took me about 2 weeks to complete,” Dunn said. “I became so absorbed in my work that hours would go by and I didn’t even notice. At many points it was stressful, but others were relaxed. It was very fun, I hope I can do it again sometime.”
Her process included some initial concept sketches, but Dunn recalled not being very happy with the way they turned out.
“All I knew for sure was I wanted a painting squid. Eventually, I wound up doing what I do best: improvise bullshit. I did whatever felt natural, or whatever I thought would look cool,” Dunn said.
After graduation, Dunn took some time to herself.
“I’ve taken a break from painting. Although I did love making the mural, and I am very proud of how it turned out, it put me under a lot of pressure and it was a huge relief to finally finish it. I have, however, been busy working on various projects to build up my portfolio while I look for a job.”
