Piece by piece, a local artist is combining her love of art and community through her creation of a Marshall University watercolor puzzle to benefit the Cabell County Schools Foundation. 

Linda Childers, Marshall alum and member of the Cabell County Board of Education, works closely with the Cabell County Schools Foundation, which inspired her to create the puzzle as a fundraiser, she said. 

“This foundation does many things, and one is to raise money to give to teachers in the form of mini-grants,” she said. “These grants can be used to take special field trips, special events or things for their classroom.”

A former teacher of 32 years, Childers said she knows the struggles public schools are facing in terms of funding. 

“I wanted to support public school education,” Childers said. “Not to mention I love Marshall; my mom taught at Marshall, and I am a Marshall graduate, so it was a great combination.”

With this goal in mind, she utilized her extensive art background, ranging from artfully decorated cookies to paintings, to make the Marshall puzzle a reality.

The puzzle itself began with a perceptive walk through campus, Childers said. 

“The architecture, beautiful landscaping and the programs are such a huge part of Huntington’s culture and economic benefit,” she said. “I wanted to have a loose, sketch-y design, not something that captured every detail.”

While minute details weren’t of priority within the sketch-like style, capturing every building on campus was vital, Childers added. 

“I want people to see that Marshall has so much to offer not just to students, but the community,” she said. “For example, Morrow Library is open to anybody in the community to research or enjoy the artifacts they have.”

Childers said while her sketches just scratch the surface, she hopes the little images of Marshall buildings spark bigger curiosities of the university. 

With the curiosities, she also aims to create a vessel for connectivity with those who bring the puzzle to life. 

“Working a puzzle with friends allows us, as humans, to connect, and one of the most important things we do is feel connections with other people,” Childers said. 

Childers crafted the creativity at her launch event for the Marshall Campus Map project featuring a puzzle competition, food and a friendship bracelet making station Saturday, Oct. 11.

Attendees had the opportunity to purchase the MU Campus Map at the event, and the puzzle is available at The Wildflower Gift Gallery, Red Caboose, Cicada Books and The Wild Ramp. In addition to Huntington locations, the puzzle will be available in Charleston’s Capitol Market at West Virginia Marketplace. 

“I really encourage people to shop at local stores,” Childers said. “I love supporting them, and I love supporting this foundation, so I also will soon have an online store.”

Through her “arti-vism,” Childers said she aims for each puzzle to not only celebrate Marshall University, but to help strengthen local schools and the connections that allow them to thrive.

Kaitlyn Fleming can be contacted at [email protected].