The Rockwell Museum, in collaboration with the Corning-Painted Post High School Learning Center (HSLC), worked with students and Shawnee Rebekah Morning Dove Hill, Teaching Mural Artist, to design a public art mural in our community. The 2025 Alley Art Project emphasizes the connection between humans and colors in nature, as well as the memories tied to a sense of place. Inspired by Teresa Baker’s Yellow Prairie Grass recently added to The Rockwell’s collection, this year’s mural design reflects collaborative meaning-making related to landscapes, including the woodlands, meadows, and seasonal changes of our upstate New York region. This exhibition presents the student artwork and mural design, and the participants did not shy away from embracing the Museum’s annual theme of Color!
Artist Teresa Baker (born 1985) feels a deep connection to the landscape of the Northern Plains where she grew up. She recreates regional vistas in her work, using an abstract style with bold swaths of color and unconventional materials, reflecting her heritage as an enrolled member of the Hidatsa/Mandan nation. In the mural design classes, students similarly researched meaningful geographical locations and used maps to create their own abstract mixed media artworks on artificial grass. Their pieces interpret the aerial views of landscapes connected to personal memories. Inspired by Baker’s artistic process, students incorporated symbols of land barriers, landmarks, plants, water, and topography to represent places they have spent time with friends and family.
Working with Hill, students then simplified their abstract works further, focusing on colors, shapes, and lines. They recreated their bright and colorful designs using mural paints on pre-cut sections of special fibrous mural material that will be collaged directly into the final mural.
2025 Digital Mural Design Rendition
Created by: Shawnee Rebekah Morning Dove Hill
Mural Location: 41 Bridge Street, Corning, NY
This mural explores the natural world through an abstract celebration of color. Centered around leaf forms, the full-spectrum design reflects the diverse range of colors found in plant life, especially the shifting hues that emerge with the changing seasons in our region. The composition encompasses leaves with layered elements taken directly from the students’ individual artworks. The embedded symbols and designs reflect the blending of ideas that takes place within this collaborative art project, incorporating colors—in particular shades of orange and pink—that hold personal meaning for each student.
Stop by and see the mural painting in action at 41 Bridge Street, Corning, NY from August 13 – 20. A culminating ribbon cutting ceremony will be held on August 21. Learn more >>
The Rockwell makes art accessible to everyone through its support of public art, transcending the boundaries of the museum walls!
About Artist Shawnee Rebekah Morning Dove Hill
“Having started my mural career in a program very similar to this one, I know the value of work like this. It’s a privilege to share my process in creative thinking through the expression of color and form. Even more powerful is creating alongside others—watching a shared vision take shape and knowing it belongs not just to one person, but to a whole community.” – Shawnee Rebekah Morning Dove Hill
Shawnee Hill is a multidisciplinary artist and tattooist inspired by nature and human connections. Growing up in the tranquil landscapes of Bloomfield, NY, they found early inspiration in the dense forests, shifting seasons, and natural patterns of the region. Beginning in their grandmother’s porcelain doll studio, Hill developed a passion for detail and storytelling through imagery. Their artistic practice includes illustration, murals, bookbinding, and tattooing, and is rooted in intentionality and collaboration, ensuring each piece of the process carries meaning and flows organically. The artist’s work reflects a deep appreciation for transformation, balance, and engagement that strengthens collective identity. Committed to fostering community and healing through art, Hill contributes to many collaborative projects and public murals that bring people together.
About the Alley Art Project
The Alley Art Project is a unique educational mural program designed to connect local students to both The Rockwell collection and their community at large. The Museum has partnered with the Corning-Painted Post High School Learning Center (HSLC) since the program’s inception in 2010, working with youth to beautify public spaces. The program has included many organizations during its lifespan, including the Laura Richardson Houghton Corning Youth Center (2012), and more recently SUNY Corning Community College (2022, 2024). The Alley Art Project embraces start-to-finish, project-based learning initiatives and the idea that public art has the power to bring people together, encourage conversation, and ignite the imagination.
Each mural project is inspired by art in The Rockwell’s collection and enables students to meaningfully contribute to the aesthetics of their community. Students are guided by artists and educators throughout the creative process by questioning ideas relevant to the project theme and selected objects. In a mural design course, students research and study art, learn about symbolism and design, and explore aspects of individual and community identity. This holistic program prioritizes civic engagement, offering students the opportunity to use the arts for exploration and self-expression, fostering safe dialogue, and developing a stronger sense of self.