Grandmother and granddaughter Laurel Cameron of Rindge and Liana Ecklund of Fitzwilliam have been partnering on a very special project -- giving new life and color to a corridor in the children’s section of the Ingalls Memorial Library.

On one wall lives a vibrant forest scene, with plants in fantastical colors, a path leading deeper into the sunlight wood. On another, a seascape, with a dark cliff overlooking the water and a sky dotted with mystical creatures, including a dragon and a Pegasus.

Many small details like that live throughout the mural, waiting to be picked out by sharp-eyed observers.

Cameron and Ecklund have been working on the mural collaboratively since the end of 2024, and said they went in with a broad concept – a “mystical” theme – but have mostly come up with the details as the painting evolves.

“I like being able to do what we want,” Cameron said. She said it's a departure from her usual subjects, mainly painting landscapes and animal portraits. But she said it’s a good departure.

“I would never use these colors when I paint. It’s exciting for me,” Cameron said. “It’s an undertaking, really.”

Cameron has always liked art, and started to take the hobby a bit more seriously at age 14, taking art classes. She spent a year attending the Art Institute of Boston, and took some preliminary art classes, before deciding she didn’t fit with a institutional art education. But she kept learning in other ways – taking classes with different artists and learning different styles, working in pastels, oils and watercolor. 

“And now, I have something I share with my wonderful granddaughter,” Cameron said.

The 19-year-old Ecklund, currently a student at Keene State College, said she also likes to paint as a hobby, although her main experience is in acrylics. Cameron described her granddaughter's works as “very aesthetic and ethereal” – a good fit for the mural project.

The pair have been working on the mural in parts, over the course of several months, with plans to paint the entire hallway. They said seeing people watch the work come along has been one of the best parts of the process.

“People come in and find things, point out things, find meaning in things we didn’t even think about,” Cameron said.

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.