>> SO THERE IS ALWAYS, ALWAYS
CHALK AND YOU CAN EXPRESS
YOURSELF AT ANY POINT IN TIME.
THAT'S WHAT IT'S THERE FOR.
>> I SAID THAT I DIDN'T PAINT
ANYTHING, I JUST UNCOVER MURALS.
SO WHEN YOU SEE THE MURAL,
YOU'RE JUST SEEING YOURSELF AND
THE COMMUNITY AROUND.
>> TERRI: AS YOU DRIVE THROUGH
THE CHARLOTTESVILLE AREA,
DO YOU EVER WONDER WHO IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COLORFUL AND
DIVERSE ARTWORK YOU SEE PAINTED
ON THE WALLS AND BUILDINGS AND
SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES IN OUR
COMMUNITY?
JOIN US TODAY AS WE CHECK OUT
THE CHARLOTTESVILLE MURAL
PROJECT.
COME ON!
>> ALAN, HOW DID THE
CHARLOTTESVILLE MURAL PROJECT
GET STARTED?
>> WELL, THE CHARLOTTESVILLE
MURAL PROJECT IT'S EXISTED FOR
THE BETTER PART OF A DECADE NOW
AND IT WAS STARTED BY ROSS
MCDERMOTT HERE AT THE BRIDGE
UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF GREG
KELLY AS JUST A JUST A REALLY
PURE EFFORT TO BEAUTIFY
CHARLOTTESVILLE AND GET SOME
AMAZING COLORS ON WALLS AND TO
MAKE OUR COMMUNITY MORE VIBRANT.
AND TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK OF
SOME LOCAL AND REGIONAL ARTISTS
THAT ARE EXTREMELY TALENTED AND
WERE DOING GREAT THINGS.
>> TERRI: AND WHY DO YOU GET
EXCITED ABOUT THE MURALS IN
TOWN?
>> I GET EXCITED ABOUT THE
MURALS IN TOWN BECAUSE EVERY
MURAL TELLS A DIFFERENT STORY.
THERE'S SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY WHEN
YOU ENGAGE IN PUBLIC ART, WHEN
YOU WHEN YOU CREATE PUBLIC ART
AND WHEN YOU ENGAGE AS A -- AS A
SPECTATOR OR A PATRON OR, YOU
KNOW, WHATEVER, JUST AN AVERAGE
JOE, THERE'S SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY
TO LEARN AND APPRECIATE THE
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES THAT
EXISTS WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY.
>> TERRI: SO YOU HAVE THE MURAL
THAT'S HERE AT THE BRIDGE,
THAT'S THE FACE OF THE BRIDGE
THEN YOU HAVE THE MURAL THAT'S
ON THE SIDE.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THIS ONE.
>> WE KIND OF THINK OF IT AS OUR
SORT OF COMMUNITY FACING MURAL.
IT'S OUR INVITATION TO THE
COMMUNITY TO BE A PART OF WHAT
WE'RE DOING HERE AND TO -- TO
COLLABORATIVE PROCESS.
>> SHE HAS A PIECE OF CHALK, AND
SHE HAS SOMETHING TO SAY.
SO SHE'S GOING TO CLIMB UP TO
THE TOP TO PUT HER MARK.
THE ONLY PART OF THE MURAL
THAT'S PERMANENT IS THE GIRL ON
THE LADDER WITH THE HANDS OF THE
BOTTOM.
SO THAT'S DRAWN IN PAINT.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS CHALK, AND
EVERYTHING ELSE MUTATES.
IN TERMS OF INVITING PEOPLE TO
ADD THEMSELVES TO MY WORK
THAT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A
STRUGGLE AS SOON AS I HOOKED UP
THE BRIDGE THAT JUST GOT FIGURED
OUT IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THAT'S
WHAT THEY DO.
THEY CONNECT PEOPLE.
>> TERRI: APPROXIMATELY, HOW
MANY MURALS HAVE YOU ALL CREATED
SINCE IT STARTED?
>> IT'S HARD TO KEEP TRACK.
I WANT TO SAY SOMEWHERE IN THE
REALM OF 20-25 AT THIS POINT.
>> TERRI: AND MENTION SOME,
THEY'RE ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY.
>> MAYBE THE BIGGEST ONE THAT'S
MAYBE THE MOST PROMINENT MIGHT
BE THE DAVID GUINN AND RITA DOVE
COLLABORATION THAT'S ON THE
GRADUATE HOTEL.
NEAR THE UNIVERSITY.
THAT'S A REALLY BIG ONE.
>> TERRI: RIGHT.
>> WE'VE DONE SOME EXCELLENT
PIECES ON SOME RETAINING WALLS
IN TOWN INCLUDING THE BARRACKS
ROAD WALL.
>> TERRI: THERE'S ANOTHER MURAL
THAT'S OVER RIGHT AROUND THE
CORNER FROM THAT ON GEORGETOWN
AND HYDRAULIC THAT WAS PART OF
ALBEMARLE HIGH SCHOOL'S PROJECT.
>> YEAH.
>> TERRI: TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT
THAT.
>> IT'S SORT OF ONE CONCEPT, ONE
MURAL THAT SPANS TWO WALLS.
WE HAD A LOT OF FUN GETTING THE
ALBEMARLE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS -- BOTH
ARTISTS, DETERMINING WHAT SHOULD
GO ON THE WALL AND WHAT IT
SHOULD MEAN TO THE SURROUNDING
COMMUNITY.
THE STUDENTS WORKED CLOSELY WITH
EMILY HERR AND ELEANOR DOUGHTY
TO PHOTOGRAPH FELLOW CLASSMATES
AND CREATE AN ACCURATE AND
DIVERSE REPRESENTATION OF THEIR
STUDENT COMMUNITY AND THE
BROADER COMMUNITY SURROUNDING
THEIR SCHOOL.
AND THEN THE STUDENTS CAME OUT
AND EVEN HELPED PAINT HELP TO
PUT THE ACTUAL COLORS ONTO THE
WALL.
WHICH WAS WHICH WAS THRILLING TO
WATCH.
>> TERRI: OH, THEN, YOU KNOW,
AND THAT'S SO IMPORTANT.
A BIG PART OF THE MURAL PROJECT
IS THAT YOU ALL PARTNER IN THE
COMMUNITY WITH A LOT OF
DIFFERENT GROUPS AND A LOT OF
SCHOOLS.
>> THERE'S SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY
FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT BUILT INTO
THE MURAL PROCESS, KNOWING THAT
A MURAL IS GOING TO BE SUCH, YOU
KNOW, A BIG PUBLIC THING IN THE
COMMUNITY, THERE'S A LOT TO
THINK ABOUT.
WHEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ENGAGE STUDENTS AND ADULTS ALIKE
IN THE PROCESS OF DISCUSSING
WHAT SHOULD GO ON A WALL AND WHO
OR WHAT SHOULD BE REPRESENTED
AND --
>> TERRI: RIGHT.
>> -- TELLING THE STORY OF THE
COMMUNITY.
THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING.
THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE
WANT TO CAPITALIZE ON THAT AND
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO ENGAGE AND
BE A PART OF THEIR COMMUNITY AND
GROW SOMETHING VIBRANT TOGETHER.
>> YOU SEE IT AND IT GIVES YOU
MORE VIEW OF HOW CHARLOTTESVILLE
HOW OVERALL VIRGINIA IS WE ALL
HAVE DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.
WE COME FROM DIFFERENT PLACES,
BUT STILL WE'RE EQUAL AS PEOPLE
AND IT'S REALLY AMAZING THAT WE
GET OUR OWN MURAL AND WE GET TO
SHOW THAT WE'RE DIFFERENT BUT
STILL THE SAME.
>> WE USE ACTUALLY RED AND
GREEN.
WE JUST MIX THEM UP.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY MAKE, BUT
I JUST MIX IT UP.
THE THINGS WE DONE IT I THINK IS
AMAZING.
IF I BE LIKE PART OF SOMETHING
AND THIS THING IS GOING TO MAKE
PEOPLE HAPPY WHEN THEY LOOK AT
IT, THEN WHEN I TELL MY FRIEND,
I JUST PART OF THIS PROJECT, SO
LIKE PROUD ABOUT THEM.
>> THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE
16-17 YEARS OLD.
THEY'RE ON THE CUSP OF GOING OUT
INTO THE COMMUNITY AS YOUNG
CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS.
THEY WANTED TO RESPOND TO THE
CURRENT NARRATIVE OF THE
MONUMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
WE LOOKED AT MURALS AS ONE WAY
TO SORT OF TELL A STORY IN THE
COMMUNITY, TO MEMORIALIZE EVENTS
THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE
COMMUNITY AND CREATE A MONUMENT
TO SOMETHING IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> TERRI: SO TALK ABOUT THE
DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES THAT THE
ARTISTS USE TO CREATE THESE
MURALS.
IS IT ALL JUST PAINT WITH A
BRUSH OR --
>> WE'VE GOT ARTISTS THAT WILL
USE SPRAY CANS.
WE'VE GOT ARTISTS THAT WILL USE
PAINT BRUSHES.
WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, PAINT
ROLLERS, AND SOMETIMES ALL
THREE.
SOMETIMES ARTISTS USE STENCILS
TO GET A SHAPE ON THE WALL AND
THEN GO BACK AND ADD DETAIL
LATER.
A LOT OF TIMES THEY'LL USE A
VIDEO PROJECTOR.
THEY'LL GO OUT AT NIGHT, THEY'LL
VIDEO PROJECT AN IMAGE ON A WALL
AND THEY'LL TRACE IT OR IN THE
CASE OF CHICHO WHERE HE OUT ON
BARRACKS ROAD, CHICHO JUST GOES
OUT THERE FREEHAND AND STARTS
SKETCHING IT ON -- HE GRABS A
CAN OF BROWN PAINT AND STARTS
JUST PUTTING A SKETCH ON THE
WALL.
WATCHING THIS PROCESS UNFOLD OUR
JAW JUST DROPS, YOU KNOW LIKE
HOW DOES HE DO IT, LIKE HOW?
IT'S AMAZING.
>> TERRI: AND EVERYONE GETS TO
WATCH.
>> YEAH, YEAH, AND SO LIKE
THERE'S NO WRONG WAY TO PAINT A
MURAL.
AS LONG AS IT LOOKS AWESOME AT
THE END.
>> TERRI: WHAT IS THIS RESPONSE
FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT ALL
THESE BEAUTIFUL MURALS?
>> NOT EVERYONE LOVES EVERY ART
PIECE, BUT WE STRIVE TO BE AS
INCLUSIVE AND AS RELEVANT AS
POSSIBLE WITH ARTWORK.
WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
INCORPORATE A WIDE RANGE OF
PERSPECTIVES AND CROSS OUR
FINGERS AND HOPE -- HOPE THE
COMMUNITY ACCEPTS IT AS THEIR
OWN.
IN MOST CASES, THEY HAVE NO
REASON NOT TO.
BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THE
COMMUNITY IS HELPING OR THE
COMMUNITY IS INVOLVED IN THE
ARTIST VETTING PROCESS, OR THEY
HAVE GONE TO MEETINGS TO DISCUSS
WHAT THEY WANT TO INCLUDE IN
THAT CALL FOR ARTISTS.
SO WE LOVE TO TELL A STORY THAT
GOES BEYOND THE IMAGERY ON THE
WALL.
WE LOVE TO TELL A STORY THAT
INCLUDES THE PROCESS OF THAT ART
GOING UP AS WELL.
>> IT IS COOL TO WORK IN VIEW OF
ALL THE PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS
TOTALLY ALIVE.
THAT MUTUAL INSPIRATION, IT IS
PURE, IS HAPPENING ALL THE TIME.
UM, I'M PAINTING THIS AND
SOMEBODY IS TELLING ME, OH, YOU
SHOULD PAINT THAT, AND I'M LUCKY
ENOUGH TO KEEP MYSELF OPEN TO
CHANGE THINGS AND NOT BE VERY
STRICT TO THE -- TO THE SKETCH.
SOMEBODY CAME AND MADE SOME
SIGNATURES, GRAFFITI ON THE
PANTS OF SOME CHARACTER.
SO WHEN I SAW THAT, I THOUGHT,
OKAY, WELL, THIS PERSON IS
PROBABLY A NEIGHBOR.
AND ALSO, IF THE CONCEPT OF A
MURAL IS MUTUAL INSPIRATION,
THEN THIS SHOULD BE INCLUDED
SOMEHOW.
SO WHAT I DID JUST WAS TO
INCLUDE THAT SIGNATURE IN THE
PATTERNS OF THE PANTS.
♪♪♪
>> TERRI: THERE'S A MURAL IN
BELMONT, ON MONTICELLO ROAD,
IT'S THE WORKING HISTORY MURAL?
TALK ABOUT THAT ONE.
>> YEAH.
WE HAD A BUILDING OWNER WHO WAS
EXCITED.
A BUILDING OWNER WHO WAS VERY
FLEXIBLE, VERY, VERY
ACCOMMODATING.
AND VERY --
>> TERRI: WE'LL JUST CALL HIM
JOE.
>> RIGHT?
YEAH, WE'LL CALL HIM JOE.
JOE, JOE HAD, YOU KNOW, REALLY,
REALLY WANTED TO JUST LIKE
EMPOWER AN ARTIST BY GIVING AN
ARTIST SPACE TO DO WORK.
WE KIND OF COAXED SOME IDEAS OUT
OF JOE.
JOE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF, YOU
KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT WE'VE
GOT A LOT OF HISTORY HERE IN
BELMONT IN THE TRADES AND IN
MANUFACTURING AND SKILLED LABOR.
AND WHO KNOWS, MAYBE THAT'S A
GOOD MOTIVATION.
AND THE ARTISTS LOVED IT.
THE ARTISTS RAN WITH IT, WAS
SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT CONCEPT
AND ENDED UP CREATING SOMETHING
REALLY STUNNING, REALLY
BEAUTIFUL.
WE CAN'T DO THE MURAL PROJECT
WITHOUT ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS.
WE ALSO CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE
FOLKS WHO OPEN UP THEIR WALLETS
AND SAY, I LOVE ART.
I LOVE WHAT THE MURAL PROJECT IS
DOING AND I WANT TO HELP GET
THAT AMAZING ARTIST ON THAT
WALL.
>> TERRI: THE LOGISTICS, TOO.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE -- YOU HAVE TO
GET PERMISSION.
>> THERE'S NO PLAYBOOK FOR THIS,
WE TRY TO SORT IT OUT AS WE GO
AND TRY TO MAKE THE RIGHT MOVES
AND CONNECT WITH THE RIGHT
PEOPLE AND GET THE RIGHT
PARTNERS INVOLVED AND HOPE FOR
THE BEST.
WITH EACH MURAL WE'RE LOOKING AT
A DIFFERENT SET OF PARTNERS,
WE'RE LOOKING AT SCHOOLS, WE'RE
LOOKING AT COMMUNITY CENTERS
WE'RE LOOKING AT SOCIAL SERVICES
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE HAVEN,
NEW CITY ARTS IS A CRUCIAL PART
OF THE PAINT AND POETRY MURALS.
>> TERRI: WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR
THE FUTURE FOR THE FOR THE
MURAL PROJECT, WHAT DO YOU SEE?
WHAT DO YOU HOPE FOR?
>> ULTIMATELY, MY HOPE FOR THE
MURAL PROJECT IS THAT IT
CONTINUES TO HAVE A BIGGER
IMPACT, BUT ALSO AN INCREASINGLY
RELEVANT IMPACT THAT WE CONTINUE
TO FIND NEW AND MEANINGFUL WAYS
TO CONNECT WITH COMMUNITIES AND
LISTEN.
I THINK THAT AS AN ORGANIZATION
THAT PUTS ART IN PUBLIC WE HAVE
A RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SO.
WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO DO
WORK THAT'S RELEVANT TO
COMMUNITIES THAT -- THAT
LISTENS, THAT KNOWS WHEN TO PUMP
THE BRAKES AND KNOWS WHEN TO GO
FULL STEAM AHEAD.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS LEARNING AND WE
ULTIMATELY -- I JUST HOPE THE
MURAL PROJECT CONTINUES TO, TO
GROW IN A WAY THAT IS RESPECTFUL
OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE
ENGAGE.
>> TERRI: ALAN, THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> THERE WAS THIS NEIGHBOR ON
THAT WHEELCHAIR.
AND I TOLD HIM -- HEY, I'M GOING
TO INCLUDE YOU BECAUSE HE PASS
BY EVERY DAY BUT THEN AS
EVERYBODY'S FLOATING WAS THE
POINT OF A WHEELCHAIR.
AND SO HERE IS HIM WHAT, EH
FLOATING AND HE LOOKS LIKE HE'S
HAVING NO DIFFICULTY WITH HIS
LEGS BECAUSE HE'S FLOATING.
>> WHEN YOU HAVE A MURAL ON THE
WALL OUTSIDE, EVERYBODY GETS TO
EXPERIENCE IT.
WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE TIED WITH
THE ART WORLD WHETHER OR NOT
YOU'RE THE KIND OF PERSON WHO
WOULD GO TO FIRST FRIDAYS OR TO
A GALLERY.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS WALK DOWN
THE STREET TO EXPERIENCE ART.
AS SOON AS I DID THAT, I GOT
HOOKED, HONESTLY.
AND NOW I WANT TO DO MURALS ALL
OVER THE CITY.