“Brighten the Corner Where You Are” is a novel written by the late UNC Greensboro English professor and esteemed writer, Fred Chappell. It’s also a fitting quote that’s featured in the new mural located in the Foust Building, where it brightens the entry to the College of Arts & Sciences Dean’s Office suite.
The mural’s artists are Aminah Coppage, Jalani Maxwell, and Myles Wilder, all UNCG students or recent alumni. Their journey as collaborative artists began in August 2024, when they first crossed paths in an African American Art History class taught by Dr. Noelle Morrissette. During the course, CAS announced that it was seeking submissions for a mural project in the Dean’s Office. Recognizing a shared vision and passion for storytelling through art, the trio developed a proposal.
“Starting out, we had it set in our minds to pay tribute to trailblazers JoAnne Smart and Bettye Tillman, the first Black students to attend the Woman’s College (now UNCG), in 1956,” the artists shared.
The mural also includes symbolic elements such as apples, which students traditionally leave at the base of the Minerva statue for good luck on exams. A striking portrait of one of the University’s most historic landmarks, the Julius Foust Administrative Building, is also featured, as it houses College of Arts & Sciences leadership and advising offices.
“Through this mural, we aim to encapsulate the essence of the institution’s rich history, enduring legacy, and vibrant community of UNCG today,” said the artists.
Also included in the mural? Some fun “Easter Eggs,” or hidden items to be found by close viewers. For example, the artists included themselves as figures. Or perhaps you can spy the figure of a ghost, referencing the spooky tales of the Foust building’s third floor.
“Our favorite thing about working on the mural was getting to know the faculty and staff in the Dean’s Office over winter break and getting to know each other, since we’d only met a couple weeks prior to the mural submission,” they said. “The Foust building felt like home for a few weeks and it was an exciting project to bring to life as a team.”
Meet the Artists
Here, meet the artists, and learn about how working on a mural compares to their primary art medium.
Aminah Coppage
Senior UNCG Studio Art Major
“Painting is my preferred medium, but I typically work on smaller surfaces & with oil paint. Working on a wall this size was an exciting experience because it allowed me to practice depicting detailed imagery (the portraiture specifically) on a larger scale and challenged me to adjust to the quick dry-time of the paint.”
Jalani Maxwell
Recent UNCG Art and African American & African Diaspora Studies Graduate
“This was a new experience for me. I’ve just recently begun painting mini canvases as I explore mediums outside of my normal computer-aided process. To have to use brushes on a “canvas” this large proved to be very difficult in the beginning; but on the tail-end of this project, I feel as if I’ve developed as an artist more in the last month or so than I had in some time.”
Myles Wilder
Junior UNCG Studio Art Major
“Recently I’ve been working in metal sculpture. I do have experience with painting but working this large is always a nice break from my normal. I have to paint with my entire body and multiple ladders. I also am used to working on projects by myself. Working with my friends has been the best experience so far.
Story by Elizabeth Keri and Kennedy Childs, College of Arts & Sciences
Photography by Kennedy Childs, College of Arts & Sciences
