One Step Closer

Hamilton Fish Park Workshop - June 7, 2007

The June 7^th workshop proved to be very productive as the kids and artists brainstormed more ideas for the final mural. Adam and Jamie began the workshop by showing the kids a picture of the mural site -- located in Baruch Park. The 80ft wall is bookended by two large leafy green trees. Jamie and Adam pitched the idea to the kids of incorporating the surrounding nature into the mural. Working from this idea the kids began to draw. The themes of global warming and environmental preservation were prevalent, with drawings of children cleaning up parks and lakes. Even alternative energy sources, such as windmills, were discussed. The kids were surprisingly knowledgeable about the environmental problems at hand and discussed the importance of “saving the earth” for future generations.

Some new great ideas were brought up by the artists and kids. The Big Apple as an image of nature and New York City was discussed and Adam tried incorporating a subway map or clock for the final image. The kids feed off these creative ideas and added them to their own images. They eliminated the subway stops and numbers and replaced them with symbols of the city. By the end of the hour and half period, both students and artists seemed to be one step closer to finding images for the final mural. Next week we will be focusing on poetry, and incorporating words into the mural. The kids were encouraged to bring in poems or to write their own. I feel that lines of poetry addressing the major themes of the mural will be a powerful addition to the image. It will be exciting to see how the kid’s drawings will be influenced by poetic text!

Until then – keep it real
Francesca

CITYarts Intern