It’s hard to believe how much the youth and the mentoring artists of Art@Work: Sandtown have accomplished in just 4 short weeks! Witnessing the progress from week to week has been amazing and extremely inspiring. Going from bare, peeling, and dilapidated walls on the sides of buildings, to primer, to paint, with just eight pairs of hands working diligently is an accomplishment in its own right; but to have designed murals to make Sandtown more beautiful and to see them coming to life, exactly as they were pictured and laid out, is incredible! Each mural has its own individual voice, and that comes across loud and clear with every mural having bright and vibrant colors and messages streaming across Sandtown. One of the hopes of mentoring artist Iandry Randriamandroso is that these murals inspire not only the community but the Parks department of Baltimore to renovate other community buildings and areas in Sandtown, making it a cleaner and safer environment for the kids and the adults participating and taking advantage of these community spaces.
It’s clear to see how proud the youth and the mentoring artists are of all they have accomplished these past weeks and will continue to accomplish in the weeks to come! This program has helped 80 youth in Sandtown create connections and opportunities that will follow them for the rest of their lives.
What better way to unveil and commemorate their hard work and these spectacular works of art than with an official celebration congratulating these talented youth! On Saturday August 1st, 2015 from 1pm-4pm there will be delicious food, drinks, live entertainment, and trolley tours to and from the murals, to celebrate the product of an amazing five weeks! Everyone is encouraged to bring family and friends to join in the festivities. It’s bound to be a great afternoon, where everyone leaves feeling inspired and hopeful for the future.
