It’s impossible not to smile when you walk into the Caterpillar Clubhouse. The beautiful artwork painted on the walls greets you and creates a welcoming environment for the kids. We talked to the talented artist behind the Caterpillar Clubhouse murals, Kallie Stewart to learn a little more about her and the whole process! Check out the story below.
About Kallie
I grew up in Farmington, Utah until I was 16, then moved to St. George, Utah. I now live in beautiful Santa Clara, where I get to see all of the amazing landscapes of Southern Utah every day. In January of 2017, I started working for Root for Kids (then The Learning Center for Families).
I knew about the organization from previously working at WIC (Women, Infants and Children). I was ready for a change in employment and was very interested in being a part of the services that Root for Kids offers to the community. Currently, I work as a Family Support Specialist for the Early Head Start program, and I do not regret coming to work for Root for Kids for a single moment. It has been an amazing company to work for, with amazing coworkers and community members!
I have been interested in art since I was a little girl. I took every art class I could get my hands on! Then I went on to get an Associate’s Degree from Utah Valley University in Fine Art. I have had the opportunity to do commissions involving portraits, murals, and interior design projects. I had the awesome opportunity of doing my first mural at my daughter’s preschool at the time, Desert Edge Montessori.
Murals in the Baby Room
A few months after starting here, Suzanne (Root for Kids CEO) approached me about doing a mural for the re-branding of the daycare. She gave me a few ideas that she wanted, but let me use my artistic judgement to design it. The first installment was done in the baby room with a sleeping caterpillar and two butterflies.
Nature Wonderland
Suzanne approached me again in the fall of 2018 about brightening up the hallway of the Caterpillar Clubhouse. We sat down and started brainstorming small with some grass, flower, butterflies, and caterpillars. Our creative juices started flowing and we ended up deciding to brighten up the whole hall. The ideas was to paint it a light blue and add a tree house aspect when you enter the hall.
Bill (Root for Kids Facilities Coordinator) helped us prep the walls, and Suzanne was a major sport. It was nice to see our CEO covered in blue paint as she painted the whole wall! She is so invested in the happiness of our little children in the Caterpillar Clubhouse. I then went on to give the hallway a nature wonderland theme to give the children the feel of being on the level of the caterpillars and butterflies. It has been so fun to see the faces of the kids (and the parents) light up as they enter.
I’m glad I could be a part of adding joy to the kids faces. It is so important for the children to enjoy, and feel at home in a space where they spend a portion of their day. Feel free to reach me at kalliestewart@gmail.com for any consults or projects that you would be interested in.
We are love how the Caterpillar Clubhouse looks now! We are so lucky to have Kallie in our team. If you are looking for high quality care for your child (0 to 5 years old), check out the Caterpillar Clubhouse page and fill out an application!