With the holidays upon us, the City of Decatur is buzzing with lots of positive energy—thanks in part to a project led by a group of Georgia Perimeter College art students and their instructor.

A few weeks ago, Phillip Mosier planted the seed for an idea that would enable his students to utilize art principles learned in class and engage the community simultaneously.

After a bit of research spearheaded by art engineering major Rachel Eddleman, Mosier and the students approached City of Decatur Mayor Jim Baskett.

They lay before him a proposal to install two huge, artistic and temporary chalkboards on which residents and visitors could respond to the fixed messages: “I’m Thankful For…” and “A Gift the World Needs…” Students had barely finished stabilizing the 4x8 boards in the ground before passersby began crowding around wanting to convey their thoughts on what are being called the Walls of Expression.

“You get surrounded by so much garbage every day, but then here’s a genuine opportunity to stop and share your emotions,” Eddleman says of the so-called pop art located at Sycamore and Church streets, near the MARTA rail station.

The signs—erected with collaboration from the Decatur Arts Alliance—have elicited the occasional distasteful response, but Eddleman say the vast majority of participants are using big pieces of colorful chalk to write positive messages.

“You can be thankful for something as silly as ice cream, but people also mention their parents, their mothers,” Eddleman says.

It took about 15 students, mostly from Mosier’s art class, to install the project, which is modeled after similar ones launched in Washington, D.C., and New Jersey.

In the letter written to Mayor Baskett, Mosier outlined various benefits of the proposed venture. For starters, it gives students an opportunity for civic engagement and practical experience, with studio art students building and maintaining the walls at no cost to City of Decatur.

The boards will stay up until after the first of the year, at which time they’ll be donated to Decatur High School for permanent use as outdoor message centers.

In the meantime, the Walls of Expression are attracting excitement and hundreds of messengers.

“People in our community should feel free to add their goals, hopes and aspirations,” Mosier says.