A ROADSIDE DELIGHT. Over the past year, John Cerney — a West coast-based muralist — has collaborated with students and faculty at Anthony Acres Charter School (WI-37, Mondovi) to install a 45-foot-wide and 16-foot-tall mural along the highway. The visual art piece, titled "Farmers Daughter," pays homage to the Midwest and Wisconsin's agricultural communities.

This fall, West coast-based muralist John Cerney embarked on a cross-country journey from California to the Midwest with a specific mission: to collaborate with students at Anthony Acres Charter School in Mondovi.

After months of exchanges via email and phone, he arrived to the Chippewa Valley in September with a truckload of his signature giant cutouts of visual art to install Mondovi’s first-ever “roadside mural.”

“Farmer’s Daughter,” an installation dedicated to Wisconsin’s agricultural industries and centuries of farming in the region, was brought to life by a project-based learning initiative at the area charter school.

One year ago, an Anthony Acres sophomore high school student and teacher collaborated on a project for the “National History Day” competition at the school — with a focus on how visual art can act as a storytelling and advocacy tool across many cultures.

Paul Richards, the lead teacher at Anthony Acres, explained how students are often encouraged to reach out to live experts in their field of study.

Cerney's work was suggested in discussions about additional collaborators for the students’ project. After an initial inquiry message — and seeing the “spark” in student curiosity on the subject — Cerney took his involvement a step further and offered to create a visual art piece exclusively for Anthony Acres, Richards said.

John Cerney, pictured left, collaborated with students and staff of Anthony Acres Charter School to install the roadside mural in September. (Submitted photo)

“Our school is very supportive of all types of learning,” Richards said. “John’s mural definitely continues to resonate (the idea) that our school believes in the creative sides of students' thinking; it’s a cool (art) piece to have on our property for a long time.”

Throughout its late September installation, students played a valuable role in constructing the 45-foot-wide and 16-foot-tall structure, Richards said.

Their contributions ranged from carrying bags of concrete to moving support posts and even asking questions of Cerney and his creative process.

Cerney described the highway mural as “a whimsical farm scene and my love letter to the Midwest” online, to friends and followers who kept up with the project’s progress over the past year.

Now complete, this “love letter” of a mural has been enjoyed by drivers on Highway 37, parents and families of Anthony Acres School and students — some of whom have been inspired to expand on the original project. Richards’ own son now has since initiated their own project-based assignment, to create a story map for Cerney’s work across the country, he said.

“I hope some of this (mural) does different things,” Richards said. “Maybe it prompts students to create their own art, or maybe it helps them realize that creativity is everywhere and they can put (creativity) into their work and projects — I think our school allows them the flexibility to do that.”

See the “Farmer’s Daughter” mural on display alongside Anthony Acres Charter School (WI-37, Mondovi). To learn more about John Cerney’s “giant highway art,” visit their web page online at johncerneymurals.com.