PLANNING BACKWARDS MODEL

Name of Project: Avivo Artworks’ Community Mural Workshop

Grade Level or Age of Participant: Varied, all adults.

School, Teacher and Classroom: Avivo, Jes Reyes, Basement Art Studio

MCAD Teaching Artist: Sarah Maude-Griffin

Number of Students: 3 for planning mural, 7+ for painting

VISUAL ARTS CONTENT OR STANDARDS

Participants will learn about the collaborative art-making process, scaling up images, and painting large surfaces and the importance of community art.

OVERVIEW OF PROJECT

Collective members will work with the Teaching Artist to create a collaborative design that represents the Artworks program. The entire Avivo art community will be invited to attend a workshop in which the teaching artist will discuss public art and members will collectively work to paint the mural design in. The Mural will be 6 feet by 5 feet and will be completed in two 4 hour collaborative painting sessions.

“BIG IDEAS”/ ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S)

How does art change a space?

How can art communicate a sense of place and inclusiveness?

STUDENT OUTCOME OBJECTIVES

Artists will:

1. Apply their personal experiences and the core values from their work at Avivo to a visual artwork.

2. Evaluate ideas and decide on a collaborative design for the mural.

3. Create a painted mural that communicates the importance of Avivo’s programming.

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Basic understanding of composition and symbolism, familiarity with Avivo

LESSON PREPARATION TIMELINE

2/25 12:30-2 pm Meet with Avivo Collective members and begin Mural design.

3/1 1-2 pm Create cohesive sketch from conversation with Avivo Collective Members.

3/3 11-12 pm meet with Lynda about PBM, 12:30-2pm refine sketch and transfer to wall

3/4 Get supplies in preparation for Fridays workshop

3/6 12 pm arrive at Avivo to set up, 1-3 pm teach workshop, 3-4 pm clean up.

EXAMPLES OF ARTWORK

http://goodspacemurals.com/ourwork

Greta McLain and Goodspace Murals’ work

Speaking Truth to Power, Sarah Maude-Griffin 2017

Tarana J. Burke, Sarah Maude-Griffin 2018

ASSESSMENT

During the lesson, the teaching artist will engage in conversations with the artists while they work in how the experience is going, how they feel the mural and space is evolving as they paint, and the whether or not they feel represented through the mural.

MATERIALS

Avivo has several gallons of acrylic paint, aprons, palettes, large paint brushes, paint markers, painters tape, butcher paper and canvas tarp. Teaching artist will get sample sized quarts of latex wall paint from Sherwin Williams in colors discussed with collective members and colors that are low or missing from Avivo’s acrylic collection. White, light green, yellow, light purple, and red orange. 5 quartz at $8 a quart totals out to be $41.21 with taxes. Paints will be set up on the communal tables in the art studio, along with larger paint brushes and palates. In hallway where the mural will be, we will have a canvas tarp down.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TIMING

FOR FIRST DESIGN SESSION WITH COLLECTIVE MEMBERS

Introduce the project: We’re making a mural! This mural will represent what Avivo means to you and the values that are present in this community. Briefly walk over to the wall we will be painting, and then return to the tables. What does it feel like to be a part of this organization? Brainstorm word list on newsprint. (30 minutes) 2. Narrow down words and phrases everyone agrees with (5 min) 3. Discuss what could visually represent these words and the message for the mural and create list. (10 min) 4. Each artist is given markers and newsprint to create their own ideal design incorporated the words and visual elements listed. (15 min) 5. Group comes back together to discuss what they like best about each design. (25 min) 6. Teaching artist takes photos of the work and creates a digital mockup of this design to presented at next design session.

FOR SECOND DESIGN SESSION WITH COLLECTIVE MEMBERS

Open up digital mockup on laptop, along with the documented designs from last session. Feedback and critique! (15 min)

Make adjustments to digital file as a group on photoshop. Export image and send to Jes to print, so that we can use an Artograph projector to trace the image onto the wall. (15 min)

Move everything away from the wall we will be painting on, and wipe down the wall with damp paper towels to get rid of any dust or scuff marks. (15 min)

Set up the Artograph projector, and trace the design onto the wall with pencil (30 min)

FOR MURAL PAINTING WORKSHOP WITH ALL PARTICIPANTS

Welcome folks and discuss the process of painting murals (20 minutes)

  • Go around the table and say names (some of us may already know each other!)

  • Teaching artist talk about previous experience with creating murals Slide show of in process photos for both murals, explaining the significance of each stuff, scaling things up larger, what it is like to work large and publicly, what constraints may be placed on public art, and how to collaborate with people of varying art skill levels.

  • Show some of Greta McClain’s work and how she does this with her company Goodspace Murals

  • Answer any questions .

Quick introduction to where we will be painting and what, along with best practices for acrylic painting (10 min)

  • Teaching artist stops at paint table and demonstrate pouring house paint onto pallets (using a wooden stir stick on house paint to ensure it’s mixed still), and grabs a few paint brushes of different sizes

  • Group heads into the hallway where the wall is, Teaching Artist shows how to apply paint to the wall without drips, how to make clean lines, the ways you can use each kind of brush.

  • Speak to the importance of giving each person working on the mural the space they need, and taking shifts working on the wall.

  • Express the importance of covering as much of the wall as possible in order to make progress today—and also that things to not have to be perfect and precious if you don’t want them to be!

Artists take shifts painting in outlined shapes on the mural! Teaching artist will facilitate discussions with artists as they go in and out of their shifts about the progress of the mural and process of painting (120 minutes)

Wash brushes and palettes! (10 minutes).

TEACHING ARTIST REFLECTION

What problems are anticipated with this lesson?

  • Some folks may be eager to take over and struggle with collaboration

  • Things may take longer than three sessions (which is okay because Avivo has given the Teaching Artist permission to come back for a less formal painting day)

  • There may be disagreements about the direction of the mural

How will you receive feedback on your teaching methodology and quality of student work?

One of the benefits of the mural being in such a communal area is that people passing by will engage with the artists and Teaching Artist/will be easy to invite to engage with the artists and Teaching Artist and give feedback. The small groups of artists working on the mural and shifts allows for down time to discuss how things are going and what is working and what is not working.