Young Artists Give Whisper a Makeover

Dogwood, Mt. Pleasant and Tackan elementary school students in the Smithtown CSD recently did their part to celebrate Smithtown’s 350th year in existence by recreating colorful renditions of Whisper, the historical Smithtown Kathleen Lindbom’s fourth-graders at Mt. Pleasant ES painted colorful Long Island Sound scenery in the style of Neo-pop artist Romero Britto for their large wooden replica of Whisper.

At Dogwood ES, third-graders decorated their bull with Dogwood leaves and flowers they created in class under the direction of Lindbom and her fellow art teachers Claudia Chandler, Danielle Potter and Katie Vanderveldt.

Under the direction of Chandler, kindergartners at Tackan ES created their own multicultural version of Whisper, representing different heritages using flags from around the world.

In 1903, Lawrence Smith Butler, a descendent of Smithtown founder Richard Smith, proposed the idea of creating a bronze statue of a bull. The much-disputed legend alleges that Native Americans offered Richard Smith whatever land he could circle in a day’s time while riding atop his trusty bull named Whisper. Historians have since derived several theories about Whisper, including one that Smith merely had a pet bull he liked to walk around town.

Photo A: Fourth-graders at Mt. Pleasant ES painted colorful Long Island Sound scenery in the style of Neo-pop artist Romero Britto for their large wooden replica of Whisper the Bull.

Photo B: At Dogwood ES, third-graders decorated their wooden replica of Whisper the Bull with Dogwood leaves and flowers they created in class.

Photo C: Kindergartners at Tackan ES created their own multicultural version of Whisper the Bull, representing different heritages using flags from around the world. Photos courtesy of the Smithtown Central School District.