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THE EVOLUTION OF A MURAL
Where's Your Habit-at?
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Never begin painting without the building owner's
permission. It is advisable to draw up asimple legal contract before proceeding. Contracts should include plans for long-term (five years minimum) maintenance of the mural. Contact Metro Murals for basic contracts.
There are numerous incentives to give a reluctant building owner. For
example, let the ownerknow that murals serve as graffiti deterrence, are good for business, and in general improve the neighborhood. Note that when the building owner actively supports the project, donations of labor, materials, food, and working space flow more easily.
Once the site is selected and permission
granted, take some time to
let the community know that a mural is being planned. Involve the surrounding community as much as possible throughout the entire project.
Selecting a Mural Team
A community mural team usually includes a lead artist, a project
coordinator, the community artists (a youth group or whatever special group has been invited to participate), and the community volunteers.
The lead artist should be someone with experience designing and painting a
community mural. To assure that the mural is done in a timely fashion, Metro Murals recommends Whenever possible the lead artist should be a
paid professional. Professional artists are aware of the many technical aspects of mural-making that can be critical to a mural's success and longevity. See Materials and Techniques.
Commissioning established
mural artists also promotes and respects that profession.
The sponsoring organization usually determines the mural's theme.
Generally, the lead artist refines the theme and sketches out the mural. Community artists then design and paint within these thematic and/or literal boundaries.
It’s usually a good idea for the lead artist to brainstorm in detail with the community
about the purpose of the mural before creating design drawings: v What is the cultural make-up or history of the area of the mural site? v Should the images tell a story or document a person or event in history? v Does the mural need to communicate a visual message or make a social/ political statement? v Is the main intent to beautify the area?
Sometimes the lead
artist provides community
artists and volunteers with broad direction and encourages them to refine the theme and create their own design. While this is a very inclusive approach, it takes considerable time and energy.
The project coordinator is often someone from
a school, a service organization, a public agency, or a nonprofit organization with an interest in murals. If the mural is sponsored by the project coordinator's organization, then the coordinator may be paid through that organization.
The
project coordinator holds the entire project together. He or she:v obtains a written agreement from the building/property owner v establishes and follows a project timeline v establishes and follows a daily schedule v seeks funding and/or in-kind donations v takes participants to a library or museum for research v keeps the site safe and clean v secures all necessary supplies, including tools and food v develops community relationships v coordinates with community volunteers v collects all receipts v conducts all public outreach v develops plans for on-going mural maintenance
The community artists can be anyone. At-risk
youth gain tremendously from the experience of creating a mural. Community artists can also be a students, senior citizens, or members of any group that comes together to create a mural. Note: if six community artists are needed to complete a mural, then a minimum of 10-12 artists should be recruited.
Metro Murals recommends paying community muralists whenever possible in order to
legitimize and value their work. A working budget would be one-third for community artists, one-third for the lead artist, and one-third for supplies and administration.
If the community artists are part of a community service or
organization, that organization's coordinator may also be a part of the mural team.
Some great examples of Portland murals created in the fashion described
above are:
Community volunteers are generally recruited from the surrounding neighborhood.
A diverse group of volunteers makes the process interesting and enjoyable. The broader the base of community volunteers, the greater the community pride and sense of ownership. Hint: Nearly everyone likes to paint; make sure there are small, enjoyable tasks for people who just stop by to see what is happening.
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