A Mural of Mercy Links Art, Faith, & Global Solidarity

A vibrant mural, a story of Mercy. When you pass by the colorful water cistern near Valie Genuardi Hall on Gwynedd Mercy University’s campus, its beauty might first catch your eye—but look closer, and you’ll see a story of faith, creativity, and global solidarity painted into every detail. Through a year-long project of education, collaboration, designing, and planning, Art Scholars at Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School brought this story to life, transforming the cistern into a living work of art. Gwynedd Mercy University invited the Art Scholars to share their faith and artistic vision, and together they created something that not only brightens the University’s campus but also reflects the commitment to the charism of Mercy and to walking in solidarity with the people of Haiti.

The Art Scholars who contributed to this project are Olwen Broomhead ’25, Brooklyn Bachi ’28, Sydney Hrlic '25, Vivian Lipsky ’26, Kaeleigh Morris ’28, Alexis Mulato ’26, Paige Shoemaker-Shahidsales ’27, and Kayleigh Rose ’27. Their design connects directly to the Sisters of Mercy Critical Concerns of Women and the Environment, illustrating how access to fresh rainwater can transformed education in Haiti. With reliable water sources, children no longer spend hours each day collecting water, freeing them to devote more time to their studies and future opportunities.

At Gwynedd Mercy University, the cistern collects rainwater to irrigate the Campus Learning Garden, reminding the community of our responsibility to care for creation. Beyond campus, it reflects the life-changing cisterns built in Gros Morne, Haiti, through fundraising led by university students, faculty, and staff. Each cistern abroad holds 1,000–1,500 gallons of clean water, reducing the burden on women and children who often walk hours to collect it. By painting the cistern at the University, the Art Scholars extended this story locally, linking their creativity to the same mission of service, justice, and compassion that is transforming lives in Haiti.

This project is part of our ongoing partnership with Mercy Focus on Haiti, a ministry of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. Since 2018, Gwynedd Mercy University has worked closely with this ministry to build cisterns, fund schools, and support programs like Chemen Lavi Miyò (Pathway to a Better Life), which helps women in extreme poverty establish businesses, repair homes, and access healthcare and education. Gwynedd Mercy Academy students have joined in this work by contributing their creativity, energy, and awareness to support these efforts. Even when political unrest and the global pandemic made travel to Haiti impossible, Gwynedd Mercy University found meaningful ways to stand in solidarity—through education, fundraising, and advocacy. The newly painted cistern now stands as a visible symbol of this enduring support.

For our Art Scholars, the mural was also an expression of the values they practice every day in the Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School art department. Guided by Ms. Lisa Hohenstein, students are taught that creativity is a gift meant to be shared, and that art can powerfully address the moral, social, and cultural questions of our time. By bringing their vision to the cistern, students honed their technical skills, deepened their critical thinking, and used their voices to communicate Mercy far beyond our campus. Their mural invites every passerby to pause, reflect, and remember that art—when inspired by faith—has the power to transform both hearts and communities.