DrawBridge Murals

In April 2009, Daniel Gallegos and Monica Linzner organized a graffiti mural project at the Henry Robinson Multi-Services Center for Displaced Families in Oakland, California. The objective was to personalize the environment for children who have been recently displaced and in transition through art. The children along with the teachers from DrawBridge collaborated to make a mural that would promote shared belonging and identification with their current home at the Center. 

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Ayana, a DrawBridge teen assistant, practicing her technique

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During the first week, the goal was to find a good word, name or phrase everyone could relate to. The group chose the name Oakland after the city they live in. The children learned the fundamentals of a graffiti mural. Daniel instructed how to design, draw, and color letters so that it would work on a wall. The children became familiar with the actual process of painting a mural by taking the time to watch how the letters are constructed and then made into a design on paper. After the instruction, everyone made their own drawings on a large roll of paper with crayons, pencils, and markers. 

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Getting ready to paint

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The second week, after the teachers cleaned and prepared the wall, the children gathered to watch the first sketch that read Oakland on two walls. The mural was to be in simple letters. 

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Afterward, they painted the letters like they had done the prior week with simple wall paint and brushes. Of course, there would be a little chaos with all of the children painting the mural. A little paint got on  their shoes and on their hands, but they learned to interact and cooperate with each other and with the teachers. Everyone was excited but for the most part patient. After the children finished their part of the mural, Daniel made some final touches. Finally, there was a suggestion to write "Henry Robinson" above the Oakland mural by one of the children to greater personalize the completed the work.  

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The children watch Daniel fill in the mural with spray paint

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The finished mural at Henry Robinson

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