>> 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.