Boston artist paints mural with help from Wake County students

WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Students at Powell Elementary School felt a sense of pride when they saw their hard work on display.

"Since we're graduating, we can leave a part of us at the school and if we ever come back to visit we can just go over to our painting and say that it's ours," said fifth-grader Serena Zhang.

But they couldn't have done it without Boston artist Bren Bataclan.

Using inspiration from student artwork, he painted the mural in the Powell Elementary cafeteria. He's also painted more than 200 murals in schools across the country.

"I think it's a big deal for someone to take your drawing and paint them bigger than what you turned in and say it's good enough for the wall and it's part of the school's history," Bataclan said.

Bataclan said making art accessible is very important to him. During his time in Raleigh, he left his artwork throughout the city for people to find and take home. The only thing he asks in return is to smile at random people.

"If I can spread the happiness to one person, if that person spreads it even more...I think the mission is sort of complete," he said.

But this isn't the first time Bataclan has used a Wake County school as his canvas. In 2016 he painted a mural at Lacy Elementary. He's been visiting since 2010, where he has left behind color and a message.

"This is sort of like my second home thank you, Raleigh. It's been an amazing place," Bataclan said.

Bataclan hopes to come back in 2019.

He plans to visit Lacy and possibly create another mural at Powell Elementary.