Montana Meth Project mural displayed at Box Elder High School

A mural by a local student now adorns Box Elder High School to warn people about and urge them not to start taking methamphetamine.

Box Elder graduating senior Juliet MacDonald created the Paint the State mural for the Montana Meth Project. The mural depicts a message of awareness on the dangers of methamphetamine. The image was designed on MacDonald's iPad using the Pro Create digital app.

MacDonald was a featured speaker at the kickoff event for the Paint the State contest in Helena in January.

Autumn Elliot, one of MacDonald's teachers, said that when she attended the Montana Meth Project flagship meeting, she was asked if she knew anyone who would like to participate in the event.

"When we had the meeting, Juliet instantly came to mind," Elliot said, "She does awesome work on Pro Create. She pretty much did this as an independent study."

An invitation was given to MacDonald to read her speech and present her art at the state capital inaugural event. She also received an opportunity to take a picture with Gov. Greg Gianforte.

MacDonald started her speech by speaking to her community.

"I hope this piece, when it's displayed in our school and community, will spark a conversation about how negatively drugs can impact the lives of young people and families, and on the contrary, how beautiful life can be without the influence of drugs," she said.

The finished banner was purchased from an out-of-state billboard company and has been put on a wooden frame along the fence line at the school. The banner stands at 16-feet tall and 12-feet wide.

Some volunteers helped install the banner on the fence at the school Thursday.

"I want to give a special shoutout to A.J. Butler who built the frame. Also, a special thanks to Huck SunChild, Bill The Boy, Anfernee Standing Rock, as well as Butler for installing the mural," Elliot said.

The mural shows two trees, one oozing with black ink and covered with rotten apples, while the lush green tree stands to the side filled with red apples and healthy bark. MacDonald described the meaning behind the concept in her speech.

"I believe art is putting creative ideas from your head into the physical world. For example, I think of original characters and stories in my head, and I put them on paper then they take on a life of their own," MacDonald said, "The concept of 'the monster' has been something I've worked with in many of my pieces."

"One day, in fact, I plan to design a graphic novel," MacDonald said.

MacDonald described where her idea for the mural came from.

"Art is a way to tell a story. I like making original characters, so I like drawing to fill out their stories. When I look at my original work, I kind of see sibling trees that are connected to each other," MacDonald said, "Maybe they were close to each other and healthy together, but at one point, one sibling made decisions that led to rot and monstrosity. But they're still connected. If you have a personal connection to someone who has drug problems, you take on responsibility to help them through it."