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Sea Turtle
spray paint & latex
assisted by Julia Gibb
2022

Sea Turtle was painted at the International High School at Largo (IHSLA) in Prince Georges County, Maryland.
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Six of the 7 Sea Turtle species are endangered or threatened. They are found throughout the world and travel thousands of miles to reach breading sites. The Sea Turtle and the flags depicted within the turtle's shell quadrants represent the many cultures and ethnicities that make up the student body and faculty at IHSLA.
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This project is very dear to me as I grew up across the street from Largo High School, where this mural is painted, and where I flunked out of the 9th grade. At that time, I couldn’t function in a traditional school setting, so I set out on a journey in a “borrowed” car at the age of 15, which led to a 3-year exploration of the country and following the Grateful Dead from town to town. On this journey, I met a group of older kids who, upon learning that I was under age and not in school, encouraged the path of obtaining a GED. Which I did. This changed my life and allowed me to achieve a BFA and an MFA at two amazing museum schools. More than 30 years later, I’ve come full circle, returning to the scene of the crime, a place of great anxiety and disorientation (for me), to leave a new mark and “hoist my flag.”This project was made possible by IHSLA, Prince Georges County Public Schools (PGCPS), a Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) grant, and Tour de Force DC.