This image is contains a couple of details of James Burnes' murals. On the lower right is a detail from The Heritage Mural that i worked on when i began with MAP two years ago.
As you all know i work for MAP (Philadelphia Mural Arts Program) the beginning of the summer was a frustrating battle trying to figure out who and where to work,under what contract and when i would start. BUT! the frustration has payed off!
I am working with muralist James Burns on one of his three current Philadelphia murals. This one is called "Personal Renaissance" (i'm a fan of the name) it is at Fourth and Berks in the Fishtown area. It happens to be on the side of a methadone treatment facility. The mural has to do with overcoming the selfish ways of addiction and finding treatment and healing in community and companionship.
Today was our first community paint day. up until this point i have been helping with prep work for the mural. for those unfamiliar with the process, many murals are done "off the wall" on large sheets of parachute cloth which are then applied to the wall with a special type of adhesive called Nova Gel. On a community paint day we organize a "paint by numbers" system for people to lay down a base coat of the mural. In preparation for paint days i have spent the last week priming, griding, and sketching in the design on large 5ft by 5ft pieces of parachute cloth.
Paint days are one of my favorite things about mural arts. I enjoy meeting and talking with the community and watching the process transform their expectations about art. In this case we are working with clients of the clinic. It is a very different group from what i am used to ( i have mainly worked with children of the community) but it was different in very positive ways. i found myself very proud to know that these people had found a path to recovery. I also saw the painting as a therapeutic additive to their treatment.
These paint days always make me seriously consider going into art therapy. I know, like every young adult i have only a biz-zillion goals currently, but I'm officially adding "Art Therapist" to the list of things i want to be when i grow up.
I am thrilled to be working for James agian, i worked with him two years ago when i started with MAP and he continues to be a great teacher and source of inspiration. I also really enjoy working alongside his large staff, many people to talk to and learn about as well as connect with for later.
In Other News
I am continually building up excitement for my trip to Italy. I keep learning about more and more people who are also going to be in Europe this fall. My mother also keep finding friends of friends that live over in Florence that she is putting me in contact with. By the way it looks now i wonder if i will even find time to visit all of the people i am going to know over there. This is one of those six degrees of separation things if i've ever seen one.
