the Moab Teen Center Mural experience

Last weekend, over the course of three days, I facilitated the creation of a mural at Club Red Afterschool Program in Moab.We had Thursday and Friday afternoons with the kids, who were mostly high school age (12-18). Participation is optional, so I was warned that getting them to do much of anything would be difficult- Lots of texting and such.

Moab student posing in front of mural

On Thursday afternoon, after some coaxing and bribes of pizza for later, eight or so students sat around a butcher paper covered table and doodled with markers. The instructions were: “Draw from your imagination”. The conversation that was going on during the drawing helped to determine the objects drawn. There was a lot of self-doubt about the ability to draw well/realistically. I had to really convince them away from such self-consciousness and tried to model drawings that were obviously not realistic. The conversation that was going on during the drawing helped to determine the objects drawn.

Read Full Post »

Ugandan Mural Project continues…

by Chris Peterson

I posted this last week to the Trivani Field Notes blog, but wanted to pass it on to Great West readers as well…

—-

I am so excited to pass on this report from Uganda I just received today. Moses Echibu, one of the field staff at Asayo’s Wish Orphanage just sent me this email that includes photographs of a new mural on the girls curtain latrine at the orphanage. As an “art student”, Moses has continued to work with the children, allowing them opportunities to be expressive and creative with paint. (The paint was left from the first mural undertaken at the Orphanage in September when Megan and I were there last. ) Thanks Moses!

______________

hi chris,
how are you ? did you have a merry christmas ? i hope so !!!! we had ours with the orphans and it was so nice and lovely. the kids would love to know how you enjoyed your christmas. i told them that you are in the winter, i explained to them how very very cold it is there in the US. they were like how did you manage to enjoy your christmas.

Read Full Post »

Calling SLC Artists! Join the State Street Mural Project

Great West Institute is proud to sponsor the State Street Mural Project as a community arts project designed to empower grassroots leaders.  We are looking for local artists to collaborate with local school children and other groups to design the remaining wall space at Baxter’s, and ultimately on approved buildings along the State Street Corridor.

The duck is the first piece of the project and will soon be accompanied by a host of other creatures.  A dozen local artists will be selected to collaborate with local childrens classes and community groups  to design and create each of the twelve sections  (180 linear feet of wall space) on Baxter’s Cafe.    The designs will be judged primarily on the objective of engaging and empowering local children.  We will help facilitate the collaboration and design process.

Our vision is not merely for a more aesthetically pleasing State Street corridor; more importantly we believe that vibrant, safe, and sustainable neighborhoods can be created through partnerships with local grassroots leaders, artists, teachers, businesses and local government leaders.

If you are interested in participating, send a paragraph about your experience and interest in collaborating, as well as three low-res jpg’s of your work. Sketches and mural ideas also accepted.

Send inquiries to: duck@gr8west.org

Click here for a pdf version of the flyer.

Read Full Post »