By CASEY RESSLER

Valley Life editor

The walls of Burchell High School have a vibrant new look, thanks to a familiar face.

Palmer artist Samantha Elliot recently completed a large 24-foot by 8-foot mural, as well as four additional large-scale paintings, at the school as part of the 1 Percent for Art program.

Elliot has worked at Burchell High School for the last year as a vocational counselor, and she drew on her experiences with the students in creating the colorful images.

The paintings combine bright color, visual movement and storyboard imagery that is pulled together into an educational theme.

Elliot, a fine arts graduate from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, used several different techniques in the paintings, all of which combine to present a bright image and enhance the positive atmosphere at Burchell.

She used airbrush, paint textures and iridescent materials to convey a "strong community atmosphere" in the paintings.

The paintings are an instant hit at Burchell.

According to a flyer distributed to promote the Friday art opening, "Elliot's style reaches out to both students and faculty with a common vision of maximizing individual potential within a strong healthy community.