Children's Mural Workshop Drawings

I can't believe the mural team has been here for a month now. We're getting closer to the halfway point. Be sure to follow artist-in-residence, Dave Loewenstein, on his blog at joplincommunityartproject.blogspot.com. Dave, Kyle, Nick, Amber and I spent a couple weeks with about 200 children from Boys and Girls Club, the Joplin YMCA, and Spiva Center for the Arts. After team and kid introductions, Dave would share about the idea of a mural, that one would happen here in Joplin, and that several have happened in other towns. He had postcards of past murals, and would show the kids up close what those looked like instead of a cold, large projection on a screen. Then we would would prompt the kids to draw collaboratively, 2-4 kids per one large sheet of white paper. What is your idea of home? What do you dream about? Flying? Do animals dream? Do plants dream? Do machines dream? Draw a machine that is part machine and part plant that would help rebuild Joplin. Design and draw a website or video game that shows a new Joplin. The kids jumped in wholeheartedly, no hesitation, clearly needing and wanting to work some things out, not editing themselves. Then we had them share their drawings and ideas with the group. I truly believe this combination of SHOWing their art and TELLing their story was a healing, beautiful encounter for all in the room.

During the Third Thursday Artwalk on August 18th, many of these drawings will be on display on the ground floor of the Gryphon Building at 10th and Main from 5:30-8:30. Families of these 200 kids will be invited to come to the show. Encore!