mural projects

Announcing the third mural in our Paint and Poetry series

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Partnering together for Paint & Poetry, the Charlottesville Mural Project and New City Arts are producing text-based murals in the Charlottesville area. Paint & Poetry support the vocation of artists, poets, and musicians by featuring their artwork in public spaces while beautifying the city we call home, Charlottesville, VA. Plans for the Paint & Poetry Project began in the fall of 2014. Read More »Announcing the third mural in our Paint and Poetry series

A celebration surrounds the newest mural at Johnson Elementary School!

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Led by two parent volunteers, Johnson Elementary School students just completed a mural project with the help of artist Chicho Lorenzo.  Adrienne Dent and Doris Simpson, parents of Johnson Elementary school students, initiated the project by hiring Chicho Lorenzo.  The Charlottesville Mural Project funded the project, paying for supplies and an artist stipend.

Over the course of three months, Adrienne and Doris arranged for Chicho to work in the classrooms with students, brainstorming mural themes by drawing pictures and sharing stories.

IMG_9572Read More »A celebration surrounds the newest mural at Johnson Elementary School!

The C-Ville covers our latest mural!

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James Ford from the C-Ville’s FEEDBACK section, wrote a fantastic article covering the story of the Rivanna Clean Water mural.  SEE THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE!

Buford Middle School mural is complete!

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The University of Virginia Student Arts Committee partnered with the Charlottesville Mural Project, Buford Middle School, and the City Schoolyard Garden to produce a unique, garden-themed mural adjacent to the Buford Schoolyard Garden.

The three groups joined forces to plan, organize, and execute the 2,200 sq. ft mural on the side of the Buford gymnasium.  Over the course of two months, UVA students met with Buford students in Mr. Cormier’s art classes to develop ideas for the mural design.  Based on the input of the sessions, a first-year UVA student designed the mural with an intricate, geometric depiction of a garden landscape.  The design was traced onto the wall at night using a digital projector and a boom lift.  Over 25 gallons of paint were used in the month-long painting of the mural.  The mural will serve as a cornerstone of the arts and natural sciences for the students and faculty of Buford Middle School.

The project will continue to expand the mission of the Charlottesville Mural Project, helping facilitate the talents of local artists and designers (in this case, both young and old) all the while creating a more interesting visual landscape for Buford Middle School and the surrounding Charlottesville community.  Additionally, the project creates a model for more school-based murals that instill a sense of pride, artistic sensibility, community collaboration.  Support for the project came from the University of Virginia, The Fund at the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, and the CMP’s ongoing sponsors: Blue Ridge Paint and Decorating, Benjamin Moore, United Rentals, and Gropen.
Read More »Buford Middle School mural is complete!

St. Anne’s Belfield Mural is complete!

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The St. Anne’s Belfield Mural was completed last week–just in time for the last day of school.   Mrs. Cox and the 8th grade class made a final push to have everyone paint their hand print on the tree and leave their mark.  The “foliage” has filled-out in the last week, and over the years, as other 8th grade classes add their hand prints, the tree will grow into a mature, multi-colored spectacle.

I was very impressed with the dedication from the art kids.  The mural fills the expansive wall of the basketball court area, and offers a more interesting visual landscape.  It’s hard to believe such a mural was completed in only a short series of 45-minute class periods!  Major props to Mrs. Cox!

The mural could not have happened without technical help from Blue Ridge Paint and Decorating, Benjamin Moore, Andrew Lettner Painting, and the on-site assistance from artist Patrick Costello.  I hope to see STAB continue the mural tradition in years to come!
Read More »St. Anne’s Belfield Mural is complete!

Reko Rennie and Frank Buffalo Hyde collaborate again

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Reko Rennie and Frank Buffalo Hyde collaborated on another mural at the Museum of Contemporary Native Art in Sante Fe, NM. The two artists met in Charlottesville where they worked on a mural for the side of The Bridge.  The title of the work is OA NDN – Original Aboriginal Indian.  Reko and Frank incorporated imagery associated to their identity and inter-weaved their patterning to represent their connection as friends and Indigenous brothers.

You can read more about the mural collaboration on tumblr, but check out these picture.

Read More »Reko Rennie and Frank Buffalo Hyde collaborate again

St. Anne’s Belfield School mural is underway!

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The CMP was approached by the middle school art teacher at St. Anne’s Belfield to help produce a mural on their basketball courts.  We started planning in February and just this week the first strokes of color were put on the wall!  There was some big prep work to be done before the color was applied–including sanding the smooth concrete and spraying a coat of masonry primer.  Our friends at Blue Ridge Building Supply and Benjamin Moore came out to offer their technical advice.  They’ve been more than helpful in making sure our prep and paint choices will ensure a long life of the mural.

The main design, worked up by a smaller group of art-minded students from the 8th grade, will incorporate a large tree in a landscape settin that would incorporate each year’s class mascot.  So while this year’s class will do the majority of the painting, next year’s class will paint their mascot on the wall in what will begin a long line of school mascots that parade down a road.  Apart from that clever and collaborative idea, students will also “make their mark” by leaving a hand print on the wall.  The hand prints will actually form the leaves of a large tree which stretches across the width of the mural.

Kim Cox (below), the middle school art teacher, is leading the 8th Grade in this mural adventure!  The CMP has also hired Patrick Costello (pictured on the scaffolding) to help provide technical assistance and on-site advice.

We’ll be updating the progress throughout the next four weeks.  Considering how much was painted in just the first day, I think we’ll soon see the tree and maybe even the mascot details added in two weeks.  It’s been such a great time working with the students who are genuinely excited and focused on creating the mural.  Some kids even skipped lunch because they were so engrossed in the painting!

Read More »St. Anne’s Belfield School mural is underway!