On behalf of the 2025 SEC College Football National Championship, the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) hosted its 11th annual Allstate Party at the Playoff at Pullman Yards in Atlanta on Saturday, January 18th. This year, North Atlanta’s visual arts teacher Abigael Arreguin and senior Josiah Mussenden were given the privilege to showcase their creative capabilities through painting a live mural during the event.
Just a week prior to the event, Sarah Erickson, Atlanta Public School’s Fine & Performing Arts director, reached out to Arreguin recommending her and a student of her choice for the project. For Arreguin, Mussenden was the perfect candidate. Mussenden’s passion for art was prompted by the Covid-19 epidemic, where he first pursued painting. As his creative interests progressed, Mussenden ventured into fashion design and music where he created both a clothing line and a band to advocate for inclusivity, titled ‘’Xcluded’’. Despite not being one of Arregiun’s students, Mussenden had previously worked with her on some of his minor projects such as screen printing and cricket design. ‘’I’ve always admired his work and his outgoing nature,’’ said Arregiun. ‘’I thought this would be great opportunity for him.’’
The first step was reaching out to the event organizers, 1540 Productions and ESPN, to determine design intentions. From there, Arreguin and Mussenden met daily during first period to compare sketches and choose focal points for the mural. As a tribute to Atlanta’s esteemed Marta transport, the final draft featured a Marta bus with student passengers and was completed via Procreate. That Thursday, Arreguin and Mussenden ventured to Pullman Yards to tour the space which was designed as a replica of Krog Street Tunnel. ‘’Going into it I was nervous,’’ said Mussenden. ‘’But once I saw the space I couldn’t wait to get started.’’
After familiarizing themselves with the area, the two quickly got to work the following day. However, this undertaking was not without its challenges. Hours into the process on Friday, Arreguin began to notice some resistance between the substrate and the spray paint. Evidently, the substrate had not been properly primed to sustain spray paint and therefore was absorbing it. Arreguin and Mussenden looked to the fellow artists at the event for a way to remedy this setback. Fortunately, they were able to get the help and supplies they needed, allowing them to complete the mural on time. ‘’It definitely wasn’t on our agenda to have to pivot so far into the process,’’ said Arreguin. “But ultimately, it was a growth opportunity and we enjoyed working alongside other talented creators.’’
From beginning to end, Arregiun and Mussneden’s shared zeal for art forged a distinct bond that bridged their way to success. Opportunities like this continue to broadcast the unique and gifted environment cultivated at North Atlanta and enable students to embrace their capabilities while contributing to the greater Atlanta scene.
