Batesville Intermediate Student Has Art Installed Downtown

The second mural for the 2024-25 Art on Main is now up on the Simons Building.

Batesville Intermediate School fifth-grader Audrey Swain poses with the artwork she designed for BCEF’s Art on Main program in downtown Batesville. Photo provided.

(Batesville, Ind.) - The second mural in the Batesville Community Education Foundation’s (BCEF) 2024-25 Art on Main student art program in downtown Batesville has been installed for public viewing on the side of the Simons Company building on Main Street in Batesville. Artwork created by Batesville Intermediate School (BIS) fifth-grader Audrey Swain was selected by the BCEF committee for this honor. Swain’s artwork features a silhouette of a farm against a chalk sunset background.

“The Art on Main theme for this school year is ‘It’s an Indiana Thing,’” said BCEF president and program chair Ryan Holcomb. “BIS art teacher Olivia Branch worked with her students to develop ideas based on this theme for submission to our program.”

“I chose to draw a barn and a sunset,” Swain explained. “I drew the sunset because there’s nothing better to do than sit back in a chair and watch the sunset. The red, orange, yellow, blue, purple, and pink appear and blend together to make a beautiful and abstract art above me. My barn and sunset inspire me to slow down and look at the world around me. Crickets chirping and lightning bugs flashing make an even prettier picture. I also added the barn because my family and I spend a lot of time on my grandma and grandpa’s farm as well as on our own. My artwork relates to Indiana because our state is known for its gorgeous sunsets and agriculture. I had a fun time painting and drawing this picture.”

BCEF’s Art on Main program highlights artwork from students from the four Batesville Community School Corporation school buildings on a rotating basis. BCEF would like to thank Jimmy Rowland from Rowland Graphics, who donates his company’s time to install every mural, and Nick Maple, owner of the building, who provides the use of his location for the display. In addition, a special thank you goes to art teacher Olivia Branch for her coordination and assistance and to BIS principal Dana Cassidy for her support. The BIS mural will be on display for a few months until artwork from Batesville Middle School (BMS) is installed.

For more information about Art on Main or any of BCEF’s programs, contact BCEF executive director Anne Wilson at awilson@batesville.k12.in.us.