{"id":3464,"date":"2017-05-18T15:33:58","date_gmt":"2017-05-18T15:33:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/atb\/?p=3464"},"modified":"2017-05-22T17:11:41","modified_gmt":"2017-05-22T17:11:41","slug":"mural-project-displays-graffiti-as-art-and-much-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/atb\/2017\/05\/18\/mural-project-displays-graffiti-as-art-and-much-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Mural Project Displays Graffiti as Art, and Much More"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Montana Bass \u201918<\/strong><\/p>\n

During the final weeks of Block 8, Naomi Van der Land \u201917 and Alejandro Perez \u201917 have been spending time at the Fine Arts Center. They\u2019re working with five high school students and a local graffiti artist who goes by FUSE, collaborating on an art project that will soon be on display in the halls of Bemis School of Art.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the extension of a long-time collaboration between Bemis and Colorado Springs School District 11\u2019s program for at-risk high school students, students who have not succeeded in a traditional school environment. \u201cThis project gets them interested, gets them engaged,\u201d says Tony Acosta, a special education teacher with District 11. \u201cWe\u2019re able to get them out of their comfort zones, out of the classroom. It develops their coping skills.\u201d<\/p>\n

The impact for the high school participants goes far beyond developing their artistic talents. \u201cI hope it involves all of the kids and that they feel like they\u2019ve really accomplished something in creating a piece of art,\u201d says Perez, a CC studio art major who had met FUSE a few years ago at a previous FAC exhibit opening. \u201cIt\u2019s important to give younger kids different ways they can express themselves. It\u2019s been super relaxed and positive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Social worker Devra Allen adds that it helps build confidence, \u201cif they can venture into the unknown here as part of the art project, do something that makes them scared and succeed, it builds their confidence to think, \u2018Yeah, I can do this.\u2019 And for kids who have attendance issues in school, this gives them something to show up for and to be a part of.\u201d<\/p>\n

The team is spray-painting the mural onto a piece of wood salvaged from a former FAC theatre set. This means they\u2019re working outside, in open air, and have been battling the elements of spring Colorado Springs weather in order to get the project done. Despite challenges, after just three painting sessions over the course of a few weeks, the students are nearly done with the project, which will be a mural with the word \u201cBEMIS\u201d in graffiti-style lettering. Each student submitted sketches of their personal ideas to FUSE, and the artist incorporated different elements into one plan.<\/p>\n

High schooler Amy VonSeht says being part of the mural\u2019s creation helped her embrace the unknown. \u201cI\u2019ve never done graffiti before; it\u2019s a good experience. It\u2019s something new to try. It\u2019s very expressive,\u201d she says, \u201cI\u2019ve done other classes and projects at Bemis, but this is the biggest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some of the students feel hesitant to paint, nervous they\u2019ll make a mistake. \u201cI don\u2019t want to mess it up. I\u2019ve never done graffiti before, but I draw,\u201d says Dominic Makinano, another high school participant. But the students are supportive, encouraging one another, \u201cJust do it!\u201d he adds as VonSeht considers picking up a paint can after Makinano is done with his portion, \u201cI\u2019m still afraid, but I just do it!\u201d<\/p>\n

FUSE does not just show the kids how to paint in the context of the project, he also teaches them about the history of graffiti as an art form, one he has been involved in for over 30 years. \u201cI started when I was young, and I didn\u2019t have a mentor then. The best way to learn is to get with someone who\u2019s been doing it a long time,\u201d he says. Now at the FAC, \u201cEveryone gets painting time. I let them decide \u2013 with graffiti, the decision making is on the fly, it\u2019s spontaneous.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about giving them choices,\u201d says Tara Thomas, executive director of education at the FAC. \u201cBecause of various issues, they don\u2019t have a lot of choice. This gives them that freedom.”<\/p>\n

The project provides students a freedom to express their own creativity in ways they may not otherwise have an opportunity, to thrive using art to build relationships and self-confidence.<\/p>\n

The completed mural is scheduled to be unveiled Monday, May 22,<\/strong> and will remain on display in the Bemis School of Art stairway.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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By Montana Bass \u201918 During the final weeks of Block 8, Naomi Van der Land \u201917 and Alejandro Perez \u201917 have been spending time at the Fine Arts Center. They\u2019re working with five high school students and a local graffiti artist who goes by FUSE, collaborating on an art project that will soon be on … <\/p>\n

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