New Vista High School has unveiled a vibrant new mural by artist Pat Milbery, created in partnership with Street Wise Arts. Installed at the school’s new campus at Baseline and Broadway, the piece features Milbery’s signature heart motif alongside bold geometric and nature-inspired elements. The words “YOU MATTER” and “YOU ARE ENOUGH” are painted across the mural.
“This collaboration with Pat and Street Wise has been nothing short of inspirational,” said Principal John McCluskey.
Milbery, a former pro snowboarder turned artist and mental health advocate, has painted more than 500 murals around the world and leads Heart Space Studios, a creative agency focused on community and environmental impact.
“This is a really special piece on many levels based on a brand new beginning for New Vista High School,” Milbery told Boulder Reporting Lab. “What a treat in an incredible new space for creatives to thrive and a facility to welcome in this powerful energy that will be shared with the world through the creative minds of the space. I used to live across the street from the old high school during my snowboarding career and actually shot this photo and had it published worldwide of me jumping off the high school without permission.
“It was a really wild, creative full-circle moment for this project — and to be asked to paint this with the approval of the school, the principal, in partnership with the students and commissioned through Street Wise Arts.”
Milbery said he met with students to brainstorm and create together. “This new large format mural art I had the honor of creating is a compilation of a beautiful session I had with the students / drawing / discussing their experiences and input mixed with my experiences in the very sacred Boulder, Colorado,” he added.
He described the owls in the piece as a metaphor for “seeing beyond the surface and possessing deep inner wisdom,” with a heart-focused third eye meant to “awaken the third eye to experience a shift in consciousness with greater clarity to protect the hearts of the students.”
The mural adds to a campus designed to match New Vista’s alternative learning model — with spaces for outdoor learning, a music studio, flexible classrooms and restorative practices. BRL covered the school’s opening earlier this year.
Cool mural. Good for New Vista students. Unfortunately, the new building looks dark, ugly, and depressing for the rest of us who drive by.
Beautiful!
“You are enough” gave me pause. On one hand, it’s an imperative message, but on the other, it implies that someone is asking the question “am I enough?” We all obviously grapple with that, particularly in youth, but placing it in a mural makes what feels like some unfortunate assumptions about our baseline.
Fantastic mural, CONGRATS!
Outstanding work!!!