We started calling artists and asked them if they wanted to paint on our walls. We did not eliminate the high priced well-known artists, but we did not focus on that. Rather, we asked people to paint their souls on the walls if they wanted to do so. Therefore, we have had many artists paint on our walls who never painted a mural before, or who were not known as muralists.
HERE IS WHAT WE REALIZED:
- A 14 year old painted her first mural ever, and while it looked like a 14 year old painted it, that mural became one of the most loved because it spoke to people – even without them knowing the name or the age of the artist.
- A 65 year old grandmother painted a striking mural on a wall with two doors, three windows and a downspout, after stating it couldn’t be done and she needed a blank wall. Another favorite.
- 84 murals have now been painted by 75 artists. That is two rounds of 42 murals each.
- 62 of the artists have received commissions solely due to their participation in the 42 Murals project.
- Several artists have seen their careers blossom after participating in 42 Murals, with corporations hiring them to paint in and on their facilities.
- The public has been blessed to enjoy public art that is approachable and inspiring.
- Some of the art turned out to be quite good, but that was not the goal. The goal was and is to support artists that aren’t typically supported, but have them give of themselves on each wall.