06/02/2026
Student artists at Santa Maria High School (SMHS) have officially left their permanent mark on campus.
In an extraordinary hands-on collaboration, 28 students from the SMHS Art 2 class have completed a massive, large-scale mural inside the SMHS Stadium. The vibrant installation was designed and painted alongside internationally recognized abstract installation artist Allison Kunath and her creative team.
Spanning 60 feet by 9 feet (approximately 540 square feet), the mural serves as a visual bridge between the campus, local alumni, and the broader Santa Maria community. The artwork intricately incorporates both sports icons and academic symbols, intentionally representing the diverse array of sports, hobbies, and academic paths pursued by the student body. Anchoring the entire piece is the school's beloved, unifying motto: "Once a Saint, Always a Saint."
A High-Tech, Collaborative Creative Process
The project kicked off a few weeks ago when Art 2 students began conceptualizing and designing individual icons to represent their school experience. Kunath then digitized these student designs, seamlessly weaving them together with core SMHS elements, including the text and the school's mascot, Sammy the Saint.
The physical transformation of the stadium wall took place over an intensive, multi-day energetic push:
• Wednesday Morning: Kunath and her team arrived early to prime the massive wall. Using cutting-edge virtual reality (VR) headsets, they mapped out and drew the sweeping outlines of the background.
• Mid-Week Production: SMHS students stepped up with paint rollers to fill in the large, bold sections of the background.
• Precision Icon Placement: The artistic team utilized stencils, chalk, and a traditional pounce pattern to precisely transfer the students' custom sports and academic icons onto the wall.
• The Final Touches: Every student in the Art 2 class grabbed small detail brushes to hand-paint the intricate icons, before the final lettering and Sammy the Saint were added to complete the masterpiece.
To celebrate their hard work and collective achievement, the student painters were treated to a well-earned pizza and donut party on Friday afternoon as the final brushstrokes dried.
Voices from the Canvas
For the graduating seniors involved, the project provided a rare opportunity to work on a commercial-grade public art installation before heading into the world, according to Saint Visual Arts Teacher Chelsea Greene.
"I enjoyed the design process and working with my classmates," said Bianca Jimenez, a 12th-grade student who participated in the project. "I designed the pom-pom because some people forget that cheer is also part of sports, and I liked how it was a collaboration between us all. I learned a lot from Allison."
About Allison Kunath
Allison Kunath is an internationally recognized abstract installation artist and licensed C-33 painting contractor. She has contributed to over 175 projects, including murals covering over 40,000 square feet of private and public spaces across six countries. With over 15 years of experience in art, design, and project management, her portfolio includes notable commissions for the City of Los Angeles, the City of Palo Alto, and the University of California, Irvine, alongside global brands like Starbucks, Lululemon, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, and SoFi. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, NBC, Cosmopolitan, The Cut, and Oprah Daily.
Media Contact: SMJUHSD Public Information Officer Kenny Klein
