“I have built my career around painting the Central Valley landscape, which is deeply personal to me,” says Adam Longatti, lecturer in the Art, Design and Art History Department.

Longatti earned his M.A. in art from Fresno State in 2003, and has been an adjunct lecturer since 2007. His connection to the Central Valley runs deep as his family has called this region home since the 1850s.

The mural emerged from a unique partnership between Longatti’s class and the Sustainability Club, a collaboration that began with extensive listening sessions. The result breaks traditional artistic boundaries, quite literally fragmenting the landscape through an unexpected medium: solar panels.

“The fragmented design represents how different elements — soil, water, plants and human efforts — come together to sustain our environment and agricultural industry,” Longatti said. “This was the first time we incorporated very structured, straight lines into a mural.”

The mural, located in the interior breezeway of McLane Hall, is a kaleidoscope of carefully mapped lines and colors, each solar panel strategically placed to represent the interconnectedness of the environment. The solar panel shapes required precise chalk line mapping to maintain uniformity, demanding a level of technical discipline unusual in mural work.

“I encourage all students to actively participate in discussions and contribute their ideas,” he said. “Some are vocal, others hesitant, but the goal is always the same: to create a work that reflects a collective vision.”

According to Longatti, this collaborative approach has always shown great results. Longatti notes that working on a large-scale project teaches students to think beyond paper or digital designs.

“It's important that no one feels alienated by the artwork, as it will be a part of their daily environment,” Longatti said.

This philosophy transforms the mural from a mere decoration into a community statement — a piece of art that belongs to everyone who passes by, he said. For the students involved, the project is a remarkable learning experience.

“Beyond improving their artistic technique, students learn about scale, composition and real-world design considerations,” Longatti said. “They discover how art interacts with space, how it can transform an environment, and how creative collaboration can bring complex ideas to life.”

Longatti hopes that viewers will keep discovering new details with each encounter. “I hope this mural remains engaging over time, allowing people to discover new details each time they pass by,” he said.

Longatti shared that the next mural will be for the Wahlberg Concert Hall for the School of Music. Other murals around campus can be seen at the Leon S. Peters Business building and the Agriculture Science building.