Joy is more than happiness. It’s something much deeper.
It’s a feeling that fills the heart and radiates outward.
It’s laughter shared between friends, bright colors spreading across a blank canvas, and the spark of wonder that lights up a child’s face.
At Celebree School of Dallas Arts District, that sense of joy now lives in full color just outside our doors, in the form of a vibrant new mural that has quickly become a symbol of community and creativity in downtown Dallas.
A Canvas for Collaboration
The mural, featured in Katy Trail Weekly, was a true community effort—an artistic collaboration between developer Matthews Southwest, the nonprofit Make Art with Purpose (MAP), emerging artist Brooke Chaney, and the preschoolers of Celebree themselves.
When the project began, MAP’s founding director, Janeil Engelstad, and her team asked the most important question: “Who will see this art every day?” The answer shaped every brushstroke.
For our students, this mural would be their first hello—a joyful gateway to learning and discovery. So when the artists asked our preschoolers, “What would make it joyful?” their answers inspired the mural’s whimsical shapes, bright colors, and sense of movement.
The children’s ideas—simple, pure, and full of life—became the heart of the design.
Joy in the Process
At Celebree, we believe learning is not just about outcomes. It’s about the process. The same is true of art.
This mural was not merely about finishing a beautiful piece. It was about the collaboration that brought it to life.
Artists, interns from Dallas’ CityLab High School, and members of the local community worked together, learning from one another, navigating challenges, and finding creative solutions along the way.
That process mirrors what we teach inside our classrooms every day: that growth comes from curiosity, creativity, and connection.
Joy, after all, isn’t found only in the final product. It lives in the laughter shared between paint strokes, in the courage to try something new, and in the satisfaction of creating something together.
Art That Reflects Our Values
The mural now greets every family and child entering Celebree School of Dallas Arts District. It serves as a vibrant reminder of our shared values: collaboration, imagination, and the beauty of community.
It’s also a testament to our mission: to nurture the whole child—mind, heart, and spirit. Just as each layer of paint adds depth and texture to the mural, every day at Celebree adds new layers of learning, creativity, and joy for our students.
Here, children are not just learning about the world. They’re shaping it.
A Welcoming Gateway
When families visit our preschool, the mural represents more than something pretty to look at. It offers a message. This message is a promise that inside, their child will be seen, heard, and celebrated for who they are.
Like the mural itself, our classrooms are filled with color, curiosity, and collaboration. Every story told, every question asked, and every friendship formed is another brushstroke in a masterpiece that’s still unfolding.
Because at Celebree, we believe joy should be part of the journey, not just the destination.
Experience the joy for yourself.
Visit our preschool in Dallas, TX, and see how creativity, community, and care come together every day.
Photo credit: Katy Trail Weekly
