Creating a Community Art Mural with Alissa Silvers

If you're of a certain age, you might remember the Shake 'n' Bake commercials with the catchphrase "And I helped!" The slogan came to mind when I was "helping" paint the new mural by Alissa Silvers (aka Liss) at the Arlington Park Aquatic Center. Funded by the City of Sarasota, the artwork is the latest addition to its public art collection. 

Ciera Coleman is Sarasota's Public Art Administrator. Her responsibilities include implementation of the City's Public Art Plan. The Plan is an ambitious document that "sets the stage for major public art growth" in a city whose public art roots date back to the days of John Ringling. One of the Plan's goals is to provide opportunities for public art engagement. Liss' submission for a mural at the Aquatic Center included a day on which members of the community would help paint the 1200 square foot artwork. This public participation component was a factor in the selection of Silvers' mural for the site. It's also a terrific design. 

And I helped! 

I arrived at the Aquatic Center excited about being there but the tiniest bit apprehensive. My mantra is, "I look at art. I talk about art. I write about art. I don't make art." Was this something I could actually do???

Happily, no creativity -- or skill -- was required of  participants due to Liss' careful planning. Upon arrival, you picked up a paintbrush and a cup filled with your favorite color of paint and made your way to a shape outlined in that color. (I picked pink.) Even for someone wholly incapable of creating art, it was easy and fun. Not to brag, but I think I did as good a job as the small children who participated. Their little hands did have an advantage, though, for getting into the narrow spaces in the vents.  

I had a chance to chat with Liss about the mural -- entitled "Rhapsody in Bloom" -- and her process. Her objective was to create a work that would give people of all ages a little jolt of happiness when they see it. Mission accomplished. Between the bright colors and a design featuring bubbles, swirls and flowers, it's hard not to feel uplifted when the mural comes into view. 

Liss using VR to transfer her image to the walls

While we're on the subject of design, let's talk practical issues. It's all well and good to create a great image on paper (or digitally, as many artists do these days). But how to get that design from the page/iPad to the wall? In times long past, artists such as Vermeer and da Vinci are thought to have used a camera obscura to project their drawings onto canvases or walls. But we are now living in the 21st century, so Liss used VR. 

I'm sure you'll be shocked to learn that I'm not conversant with VR technology. In fact, I think my sole VR experience has been viewing "Dreams of Dali" at the Dali Museum in St. Pete. Liss, however, has embraced the technology. This picture shows her outlining her image -- which was being invisibly projected -- on the lifeguard station wall. It's kind of mindblowing -- and just a little bit creepy -- to see. 

Liss said that being able to lay out her mockups of murals this way has been a game changer. While the technology is particularly helpful when creating a mural this size, it comes in handy whenever she's creating a large work. She also uses VR to show clients what a potential mural will look like on their wall. I can see how it would be a great tool.

"Rhapsody in Bloom" by Alissa Silvers 

Unfortunately, I don't have an image of the completed mural to share here, but this rendering from Liss' proposal gives you a good sense of what it looks like. What a difference from the plain white wall that was there before. It really creates a fun environment for visitors to the Aquatic Center. 

And now some links if you want to do a deeper dive. For an article in the Observer about the project, click here. For more on Liss and her work, click here. To learn more about the City's mural program, click here. (It's worth noting that many of the murals found on the streets of Sarasota were created compliments of private funding.) And to read about the City's public art program more generally, click here. How wonderful it is to live in a place that values public art. 

 

For more on Sarasota's public art program, click here.