{"id":78601,"date":"2026-08-26T07:59:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T14:59:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=78601"},"modified":"2026-08-26T08:56:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T15:56:36","slug":"purr-pose-in-action","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/purr-pose-in-action\/","title":{"rendered":"Purr-pose in action"},"content":{"rendered":"

What started as a project to help High Country Humane\u00a0keep their cat population happy\u00a0became an opportunity for students, community\u00a0members\u00a0and local businesses\u00a0to come together with one shared purr-pose:\u00a0giving cats their best (nine) lives\u00a0in the shelter.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jessica \u201cJ.R.\u201d\u00a0MacKenzie<\/span><\/b>, a professor of practice\u00a0of\u00a0interior design at the School of Art\u00a0+\u00a0Design (SoA+D), was\u00a0contacted by\u00a0Tresban\u00a0Rivera,\u00a0former\u00a0executive director of\u00a0High Country\u00a0Humane,\u00a0to volunteer her time and expertise\u00a0for the\u00a0remodeling of\u00a0their outdoor\u00a0catio\u00a0after the non-profit received a grant from Purina.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For MacKenzie, the decision was an easy one. Being a cat lover, a\u00a0designer\u00a0and an\u00a0animal\u00a0artist,\u00a0she not only\u00a0volunteered\u00a0her time but also\u00a0helped\u00a0recruit\u00a0local businesses and NAU students\u00a0to\u00a0participate\u00a0in the\u00a0renovation\u00a0of the space.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cIt took about a year,\u201d MacKenzie\u00a0said. \u201c<\/span>I created the\u00a0initial\u00a0concept, and through collaboration with professionals in our community, the design evolved into the finished space.\u00a0<\/span>There was a lot to consider in terms of physical design, like\u00a0daily\u00a0maintenance and\u00a0the ever-changing seasonal\u00a0weather in Flagstaff.\u00a0However,\u00a0I also wanted to integrate\u00a0cat psychology and behavior\u00a0into the design to make it a special space for them to de-stress and be themselves.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The space\u00a0includes a\u00a0four-wall\u00a0mural designed by\u00a0emerging\u00a0artist\u00a0Serina Boynton,\u00a0which\u00a0MacKenzie\u00a0said\u00a0was\u00a0one of her\u00a0favorite\u00a0parts of the project\u00a0since she was able to\u00a0work alongside\u00a025 of her interior design students to\u00a0help paint it,\u00a0giving them\u00a0not only the\u00a0opportunity to\u00a0have fun\u00a0painting\u00a0a mural and\u00a0see how murals can\u00a0paw-sitively\u00a0impact\u00a0a\u00a0space, but also to understand the full scope of\u00a0time, effort and materials to professionally\u00a0install a mural for an interior-related project.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cParticipating in the project made me feel very good,\u201d said\u00a0<\/span>Heiley Unseth<\/span><\/b>, a junior studying interior design. \u201cI am a big animal lover and enjoyed helping create this space for the cats while giving back to the Flagstaff community. I learned that even this area of design\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0just about the\u00a0visual appeal of a space, but the functionality and enjoyability for both people and animals.\u00a0These types\u00a0of projects\u00a0help\u00a0prepare us for\u00a0teamwork\u00a0and what we will be experiencing in our careers.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The mural design\u00a0reflects\u00a0the Flagstaff landscape, featuring towering mountains and billowy clouds that subtly take on the shapes of cats.\u00a0The mural also depicts tall\u00a0painted\u00a0pine trees\u00a0housing\u00a0local wildlife, including squirrels and woodpeckers, while tiny cats are depicted enjoying outdoor recreational activities such as snowboarding, skiing,\u00a0fishing\u00a0and picnicking. The overall aesthetic has a playful, whimsical,\u00a0anime-inspired style.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n