A year and a half of planning and coordination has resulted in a vibrant 12-foot by 24-foot marine-themed mural at the front of Treasure Village Montessori (TVM).
Located right at the student pick-up area, the artwork is sure to inspire generations to come, thanks to the class of 2025, dedicated parents, a tireless art teacher and renowned Islamorada artist Roberto “Pasta” Pantaleo.
“It’s a long-standing tradition that the graduating eighth graders at TVM gift the school something as a thank you,” said Amy Pope, a lead class parent whose son, William, was a TVM “lifer,” attending from preschool through eighth grade. “When they said they wanted to do a mural, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into,” she added with a laugh.
“Given how strong the art program is at TVM, it is so apropos that they chose art.”
Craig Zabransky, whose son Mercer was also a TVM “lifer” in the class of 2025, served as a co-lead parent.
“I loved the idea of a mural and thought we could probably work with Pasta,” Zabransky recalled. Pasta has a personal connection to TVM as well; his son Andy attended the school 20 years ago.
Soon, the artistic process began. The students shared their vision and Pasta set out to bring it to life.
“The kids came up with the designs and met with Pasta in the classroom and at his gallery to share ideas,” said TVM art teacher Diana McGuirk (known to students as Ms. Diana).
Pasta started by freehand drawing the centerpiece — a sea dragon, the TVM mascot — along with a turtle, an octopus and several fish.
“He freehand drew the whole thing. Watching it was amazing,” said McGuirk.
“My job was to design it, lay it out, and make sure the colors were mixed,” Pasta said.
Once the design was ready, parent volunteers and McGuirk helped paint the piece. Because the mural is six feet off the ground and required a lift, safety concerns prevented students from painting directly. However, they remained involved throughout the process.
“Being his understudies was an amazing learning experience,” said McGuirk. “The kids would visit as the painting progressed to ask questions and make suggestions.”
The project faced a few hurdles, including unpredictable weather.
“We applied the base coat on day one, Sept. 29, and by 2 p.m. it started raining — and rained for five days straight,” said Pope.
Once the weather cleared, Pasta completed the seascape in six days.
“All I cared about were great colors, a happy good layout. The help I got made it really, really easy on me,” Pasta said.
Community support played a vital role in bringing the project to fruition. A parent volunteered to cover McGuirk’s classes so she could paint. Dixie Aluminum provided a significant discount on paint. And Chris Trentine of CBT Construction donated the use of a scissor lift.
“That was so generous,” Pope said. “We joked that we can definitely add operating a scissor lift to our resumes.”
“It’s a real source of pride and a wonderful piece for our entire Upper Keys community,” said April Smith, in her second year as principal at TVM. She added that Pasta asked if the sea dragon had a name, and she hopes to host a naming contest in the future.
A UV-protective coat will help ensure the mural lasts for generations, and project organizers hope it leads to more public art in the area.
“I hope this inspires our community to create more public art. We would love to hold a mural festival,” said McGuirk.
“It really makes you smile knowing we created something so beautiful,” said Zabransky.
“These folks deserve all the credit for bringing it together,” added Pasta.
