The Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA), located in Kearney, is wrapping up a $31.5 million renovation, restoration, and expansion and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024. The MONA’s Department of Learning and Engagement curated an art project to create a unique map of Nebraska. The map is intended to capture Nebraska’s diverse artistic spirit. The MONA reached out to 93 schools in the state, one from each county, and each school was asked to design original artwork to represent their county. Fort Calhoun Community Schools was fortunate enough to receive an invitation to participate in the project. Senior art student, Anna Taylor, was asked to create the design for our school district. Over the summer Anna earned the title of Washington County Fair Rodeo Queen. She participates in softball, basketball, and track and is also a member of the cheer squad. Anna is hoping to play softball at the collegiate level, and is planning to pursue a career in dentistry. She is an outstanding representative of the Fort Calhoun Community Schools, and Washington County. Here is what Anna had to say about her design:
“For my Washington County artwork, I wanted to evenly represent each of the three main towns in the county. I started by including the logos of all three schools, Blair, Fort Calhoun, and Arlington. I thought there should be one landmark from each town as well. For Fort Calhoun, I added the Fort Atkinson Historical Site; for Blair, I drew the Washington County Courthouse; and for Arlington, I drew the Washington County Fair arch. My favorite medium to work with is colored pencils, which I used to create this colorful piece of art. “
The collaborative map of Nebraska will be on display in the Postmaster Interactive Gallery. For more information on the MONA, and all the wonderful classes and programs they offer, please visit https://mona.unk.edu/mona/.