KEEPING KIDS SAFE

Keeping Kids Safe

Acrylic on Polytab and Cinder Block

2008

19’ x 101’

2201 S. 16th St., Philadelphia, PA

This mural involved a half dozen groups of students at different sites throughout the city. I worked with them on developing the design based upon the theme of ‘keeping kids safe’. Once the design was completed, portions of the design were transferred onto sheets of polytab, paint was mixed, and the mural kits were distributed to the various student groups.

There are a large number of Italian immigrants and first generation Italian families in this neighborhood. During community discussions this manifested itself in a shared desire to have that reflected in the mural. Various references to Italian renaissance work are incorporated into the painting. This includes a reference to Caravaggio’s Supper at Emmaus on the far right side of the wall that uses four well known Philadelphia muralists as models.

This project was sponsored and funded by the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Mural Arts Philadelphia.

A look at the process

The beginning stages of this project were rocky. At our first few community meetings we had groups of people who were dead set against the project even happening. After hiring a mediator and working very closely with those with the loudest concerns, we all reached a consensus and proceeded with a very successful project.

This is the hand painted 1/12 scale preliminary design.

At the far-left side of the mural is a reference to Supper at Emmaus by Caravaggio. As the four models I used four fellow Philadelphia Muralists. From left to right they are: Dave McShane, Cesar Viveros, Parris Stancell, and Donald Gensler.

Community paint day on site.

Mosaic flower boxes and vines.

Detail.

Final. The main aesthetic element of the design were the arches spanning the wall. Their primary purpose was to make the air conditioners visually ‘disappear’.