Teacher Jennifer Vena Levesque has been wanting to work together to bring a mural to her school for years, and one day at the end of January, I received a random email that we could finally do it!
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For the first time since before COVID began, teens were back in the Department of Neighborhood Services space to help create this mural.
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Watch the time lapse video of our mural in the Dane County Correctional Facility.
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Working with members of Art Links, an art center for people with disabilities, we brought new life to their back alleyway.
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What started with students in jail wanting a mascot to be proud of and to stand in front of for their graduation pictures, lead to the ripple effect of four murals and a logo being created, ultimately strengthening our community from the inside out.
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Over the course of several months, I created a mural with men in jail who are participating in a class to learn parenting skills to connect with their kids on the outside. From spending a few months together, we got to know each other and being in a position they’re in, I imagine it’s not easy to open up. They’re left with a mural they can be proud of, and a connection and sense of community I’m not sure any of us expected.
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The teens who helped did a great job, and now most want to paint murals in their bedrooms. Because of the interactions with the teens, staff, social workers, and of course how bad-ass the design turned out, this was one of my all-time favorite pieces with the Detention Center.
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Because of the relaxed environment and getting to know everyone, it was easy to forget these teens were there for a reason. At one point we had to move the table closer to the garage so we could plug in an ankle bracelet, and only in times like these was I reminded that some of them committed crimes. This project showed me it starts with knowing ourselves, bit by bit relaxing into who we were and realizing the potential of who we can become.
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Pics and an introduction to our summer project at the shelter in Madison, WI. Showing them a glimpse outside of their routine can help to see a light they may not have before, if even for a moment. As each week’s new focus was underway, we’d either work in silence, to some beats, or talk. In these conversations the mural design blossomed and we got a chance to learn a little something about art, and about one another, while learning new skills.
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Working with teen residents at the juvenile shelter home in Madison, WI, USA, we brought our workshops to the wall by transforming an ordinary garage door into a portal of power. My favorite part was seeing something with so much beauty and intention come to life through so many hands.
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I was called back to collaborate with the students of Toki Middle School to redesign the sun in our 8th grade legacy mural. The rising sun as an image of renewal, should represent peace in all of us, so we shifted it to something with an uplifting feel. It was great to work with the students again, adding the final layer to the mural, evolving it.
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It’s been about a month since the local teens and I finished the mural for the Chilton Public Library, so it’s about time I release a video showcasing all of our hard work. Enjoy!
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I was invited to paint a mural with teens at the Juvenile Detention Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Most of the youth there are awaiting their court date, so it can be a pretty intense atmosphere, which is why the Making Justice Program started connecting artists with teens to brighten the space
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