Description
Mural School offers a week-long mural painting experience for artists of all skill levels, starting from age 12 and up. Participants will receive guidance from artist “Illsol” to learn mural painting techniques and have the opportunity to help paint a mural in the Tampa Heights neighborhood from July 17th to July 21st. The mural will be collaboratively designed and painted by many Tampa Area professional artists, with areas sectioned off for volunteers and Mural School attendees to paint parts of the mural, making it a genuine community effort between some of the best artists in the Bay Area and the public. Additionally, program participants will gain access to monthly online resources provided by the Mural School team.
Note: The schedule is below, and you do not have to attend every class section, and/or paint session. Choose a time that works for you for a morning or evening class and one or two paint sessions.
Schedule:
Monday: July 17th
Introduction to mural school morning class: 9am – 11am : Location Mergeculture Gallery (1544 N. Franklin Street)
Introduction to mural school evening class: 6:30pm – 9pm : Location Mergeculture Gallery (1544 N. Franklin Street)
Mural Paint session: 12pm – 5pm
Tuesday: July 18th
Learning Session morning class: 9am – 11am
Learning Session evening class: 6pm – 7:30pm
Mural Paint Session: 12pm – 5pm
Wednesday: July 19th
Mural Paint Session: 8:30am – 6pm
Mural Learning Session: 7pm – 8pm
Thursday: July 20th
Mural School Paint Session: 9am – 10pm
Friday: July 21st
Mural School Paint Session 9am – 9pm
History, Intent and Purpose:
Mural School is a partnership program with Mergeculture Gallery, Tampa Walls and many Tampa Bay area non-profit organizations, as well as the friends and family of Matt Callahan, a well-known artist in the Tampa Art Community that tragically lost his life in 2018. Matt was a treasure to the art community: always willing to share his personal wealth of knowledge and helpful techniques. In 2022 the friends and family of Matt Callahan partnered with Mergeculture Gallery and Tampa Walls to launch Mural School – a program to give back to local communities through knowledge sharing and art programs. All proceeds collected from Mergeculture (such as “tuition fees”) from Mural School go back into art programs that strengthen communities throughout Hillsborough County.
Partnerships with Tampa area non-profits: We believe that more collaboration leads to stronger communities, so we’ve partnered with the following non-profit organizations for this program.
Tampa Art Alliance – A shared vision brought Mural School to life.
Tampa Regional Artists – fiscal sponsor for Mural School murals from April 2023 – September 2023
Tampa Heights YMCA Program Sponsor and Wall Donation – July 17-21st
Tampa Foundation – Partner for mural projects in December 2023
This course will take you through the history of mural painting and graffiti art styles, techniques that are used by artists today, how major art movements have contributed to outdoor art, and the benefits of public art in communities.
Intro to Mural School (morning and evening classes available please see schedule below):
Art History: From Ancient art, The Renaissance, Dadaism, the American Graffiti movement and modern “street art” – learn how humans have used pigment throughout history to explore their environments. Recieve a brief introduction how historical techniques have evolved with technology today to transfer artwork from small to large scale.
Some Key points in this intro course will be broken into two parts – cultural relevancy and techniques:
Cultural Relevancy
- 64,000 years of art history in 20 minutes – from cave drawings, American Graffiti to Street Art – how did we get here?
- Why public art improves a space: The science of colors, energy, and matter in this “Creative Universe”
- Intro to cultural assets – how art creates a positive collective identity
Techniques
- Learn all about grids
- helpful techniques in “freehanding”
- how to use technology to help with mural creation
- R.O.N.E.‘s doodle grid technique
- all about projectors
Hands-on Experience
- Safety, Equipment, and Logistics
- Rolling paint and textures
- Stencils, Tape, and Tools
- All about Aerosol – Caps, Types of Paint, Can Control, and more
- Brushes & Blending
