I was fortunate enough to have been picked as the consulting artist for this project. My role was to help bring the kids image to life. Nine kids, ages ranging from 8 years to 16 years, were picked for this project. The criteria were their past activism, and their exceptional creativity. Our kids were a mix of ethicities, and of religions. These kids were an inspiration to me, and I believe that the world could learn from them. No conflicts, no disrespect of one another. Muslim and Christian, Unitarian and Pagan, Latino, Jewish, Jordanian, all the members of this team, kids and adults, worked together as a focused group.

This new mural replaced an old youth mural, that was 15 years old. It took many years, but finally, graffiti taggers had tagged the old mural, so the decision was made to replace it. Also, it was time for the 40th anniversary celebration of the human rights organization, CALC.

The Theme: Shoulders to Stand on

Every one of us has gotten where we are by the efforts of those that came before, parents, grandparents, great grandparents. Every generation has wanted better for it's children. This was the idea that the kids wanted to bring to life.

After two days of intensive brainstorming, the kids came up with the images.
For the first day, we got to know one another, and we discussed the theme, and what it meant to them. The kids went home and discussed the ideas with their families. Before they left, we primed the wall panels.

Day two, we sat and with a large pad of paper, we threw out ideas of what the kids would like to graphically represent the theme.
While the kids talked, I sat on the floor, and drew a rough sketch of what it was that they had come up with. With the rough sketch in my hand, I went home that night and drew what it was I believed they wanted.

Day three, I presented the sketch to the kids, and they fine tuned it; adding things, subtracting things, until they arrived at what they wanted. That same day, we went out, and I explained to them about cartoons, I taught them drawing basics, and explained the process. Then we put the cartoon on the wall panels! We broke for the weekend, with the entire cartoon on the wall.

Monday morning, we opened the paint, generously donated by a local paint company, Rodda paint, and started in! I showed the kids how to use the brushes, and explained to them a bit of color theory. I mixed paints, I showed them how to apply the bit of color theory they had just learned, and they worked with a will!

Day five, we painted some more! We had a deadline to meet, so we wasted no time! The kids were troopers!

Day six and day seven, we painted! We finished the mural on the 26th, and all we had left on the morning of the 27th was the final touch ups.

The Dedication ceremony was wonderful! All the kids that could be there, were there. The mural team was introduced to the crowd, and we all spoke a few words. The team also consisted of three interns, as well as myself and the kids. Two of the interns were invaluable, Meg and Megan. I'm very pleased to have met them.

The center of the panel is a tree, and that tree is representitive of Mother Nature, and how She holds everything and everyone on the planet up on Her shoulders. Above Her head, is the dove of peace, also the symbol of CALC. Her branches reflect the four seasons.

In the dove's feathers are the words, "Peace" and "Joy". The dove radiates light, and hovers above us all. The people on the base of the tree are the old people, who are pushing up the younger people, until the final people are babies, one that is held up to the dove.

The ships in the background represent the immigrants that came over to America. The storm tossed seas represent the trials and tribulations they faced.

The glacier on the far right side is for the way the glaciers have shaped our world, and the river that runs from the mountain to the ocean ties it all together.

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Copyright 2011  Colleen Patricia Williams