Artist Cathy Trachok Barnes is best known as a children’s book illustrator and as the artist behind the colorful literary-themed mural in the children’s section of the Napa City-County Library.

But now she’s drawing rave reviews from the primary school set for an art project that began as a fundraiser.

“Last year, Mt. George School celebrated its 70th anniversary,” said Principal Janine Burt. “We’re also starting a new program called International Baccalaureate, which is an international organization that stresses that children should learn in a way that is applicable in the world. We wanted a way to celebrate our anniversary and fundraise to get the services and training for the IB program. Cathy had an idea for a mosaic at the entrance to our school.”

The 12-by-8-foot sidewalk mosaic depicts five running mustangs — the school’s mascot. The horses look as though they are heading for the school office. The sidewalk between the mosaic and the office will be a “yellow brick road” lined with pavers inscribed with donor’s names.

“How many artists have the opportunity to come up with an idea and just do it?” asked Trachok Barnes, who has taught art at the school as a parent volunteer. “I thought this would be a 100-hour summer project, but I’m up to about 170 hours now. It’s actually good that the project carried into the fall because the children can watch what I’m doing and ask questions. They see that art is more than coming up with an idea and understand that it’s a lot of work. There’s no instant gratification, but there’s long-term gratification. I tell them that fitting the pieces in is a lot like working on a puzzle.”

Born and raised in Reno, Nev., Trachok Barnes lived all over the country before settling in Napa more than nine years ago. She’s a close neighbor to the school, known for its high educational standards and tight-knit community.

“Living in this district was meant to be. Mt. George provided an introduction for me to lots of people. I met my best friend here, my daughter met her best friend and they’re in high school now.”

After completing her art degree at the Art Center in Pasadena, Trachok Barnes worked as a commercial illustrator at a greeting card company. Feeling creatively stifled, she moved to Boston to be a freelance illustrator. There she met her husband, Russ, and the couple subsequently moved to Phoenix. It was in Arizona that her illustration career took off as she designed ads, billboards and magazine graphics.

“When I had my child I discovered children’s books and began illustrating them,” said Trachok Barnes, whose first book illustration was for “Raccoon at Clear Creek Road.” “Now I mostly do non-fiction animal books. Last year I did two books about baby bears, polar and black bears. I’m moving into the fine art realm, because it’s fun.”

She is a member of Arts Council Napa Valley. “(Executive Director) Michelle Williams and program manager Kristina Young are great. I give them a lot of credit for Napa’s art scene.”

Trachok Barnes is not the first one in her family to do a school mosaic project.

“My mother is an artist and she did a mosaic at a Reno middle school. I thought at the time what a cool thing it was to do. When I first got to Mt. George I mentioned the idea but nothing happened. When Janine became principal she liked it. We’re good at bouncing ideas off each other. I did a drawing, which Janine approved, and I did a color sketch.”

Several business donors have been key to the project, including Abbey Carpets Unlimited, Dal Tile and Ace Hardware on Lincoln Avenue. All consulted on the project and donated tile and other supplies such as the different colors of grout used on each of the horses, the grass and sky.

“Cathy’s so modest,” said Burt. “It was her idea at first that she’d do the intricate work such as the horses, then other people could help. But look at the movement in the horses and the grass. That takes an artist’s eye. It’s purposeful. Each tile is purposefully placed. It needed an artist’s touch so that it doesn’t look like flat green grass.”

The biggest challenge so far in the project has been getting down the system of tile placing and gluing.

“At first I’d lay out a small section and glue each piece,” said Trachok Barnes, who applies the tiles directly on the concrete sidewalk. “Now my system is to lay out a large design before gluing. My current challenges are being 48 years old and my back, but it’s been fun. It’s like the mural for the library. As an artist, it’s wonderful to have an idea, be able to follow through on it and have it in a public place.”

She hopes to have the project completed by the end of September and Burt thinks that’s a good idea.

“We have to be mindful of the art and also student safety,” said Burt, who watched the mosaic progress from behind a yellow-taped area surrounding the project. “We have the area blocked off to protect the integrity of the project and kids and their parents have been patient with the process. While we were hoping it would be a summer project, in hindsight the kids have really learned from seeing it happen. We are so lucky to have such a contribution to our school. So far, we’ve raised $6,000 from long-time Mt. George families and businesses and it’s ongoing.”

Trachok Barnes is grateful.

“The teachers have been very supportive, as have parents,” said Trachok Barnes. “The kids’ questions crack me up.”

She said the neighborhood has also offered support. While Trachok Barnes was taping off tiles prior to grouting the grass area of the mosaic, a former Mt. George student and his mother wandered over and inquired about the progress.

“I think it’s pretty cool,” said the young man named Nick.

When the mosaic is completed, Trachok Barnes will resume her illustrating, along with the formal and informal portraits she paints on commission. She said she plans to stay in Napa indefinitely.

“When I lived in Pasadena, I enjoyed the easy access to plays and the symphonies,” she said. “Here I love going to the grocery store and seeing people I know.”

She said her family has always encouraged her artistic pursuits. “My mother, who is 83, will come here for the formal unveiling of the mosaic project.”

There’s sure to be a celebration because having school art mosaics created by two generations is pretty cool, indeed.