This image shows the scale of the building proposed at the mural site and its atypical shape - with me provided for scale. This building was always getting tagged and vandalized, it was a blight in the neighborhood and made the soccer field have a heightened sense of danger at times. Adding art with the community's help would help bring ownership and pride to the area, I argued. The mural was hit twice with graffiti, destroying some great work that was not repainted again. These setbacks reduced the complexity of detail on the water side of the mural and reduced the time and budget to bring the top portion of the mural added depth and interest.

Grants were secured and the business community contributed generous donations of paint, food, water, equipment and misc supplies. As an instructor working on site, I did a month of extensive training in all aspects of safety regulations. I drove scissors lifts and an 80'Boom. I learned the history/context of gang violence and to spot the visual clues of tagging and what it signifies. I learned to identify subtle criminal behaviors, how resolve conflict, and about my role as a mandatory-reporter. I learned their sign language.
I was certified in Professional CPR and First Aid as an added layer of security. I was taught by police departments, medical health professionals, mental health professionals, and local educators on the various conditions and expectations working with a diverse group on site. Some incidents did occur and all were handled properly with authorities responding as necessary. We survived an unleashed bloody pit bull attack and the repeat vandals who were destroying ground-level work. It was a good civic lesson, for teens to see how marking up or destroying someone's property has real consequences. I listened as while they painted, they discussed and determined to never destroy public property.

Partnering with multiple community businesses and organizations to employ area youth in the process of mural making was a great way to spend a summer. It gave teens a memorable summer job and helped fuel my passion for spreading art to local communities. I can still look at photos and remember details of our days years later. I am sure they can too. As part of a collation, we reviewed, interviewed, and selected candidates through a variety of organizations and with the help of community sponsors in both Nevada and California. Two months of in-classroom lessons at the Nevada Museum of Art culminated in the project proposal to the City Parks and Rec committee being accepted and sponsored. It was many of the student employees' first public speaking experience.