C•A•Re

Community Arts Research

Trinity Center

Mural Title: “Pride, Respect and Success”

Winter 2008
Location: 348 S. 9th, Saginaw, MI.
Medium: Acrylic paints on interior wood-composite wall.

SVSU Art Students Involved

Heather Blanzy, Libby Booth, Whitney Dziurka, Robert Darabos, Lacresha Goodwin, Kevin Kucken, Ben Robinson, David Rivet, Dave Smith, and James Zimmer II.

Under the leadership of Pastor Alice Williams, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, which operates the Trinity Center, has joined with the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum and Saginaw Valley State University to continue a mural project begun in 2002. The new project created murals for the remaining gymnasium walls and give a new generation of neighborhood youth an opportunity to participate in a creative, educational, and positive partnership.

The mural project engaged approximately 15-20 inner-city Saginaw youth (ages 10 to 17) to create a 54 1/2’ by 7’ mural on the gymnasium wall inside the Trinity St. John Community Center. The youth involved with the mural project worked with Trinity staff to determine the mural’s theme and imagery. The mural utilizes imagery to positively address issues of youth violence and other social pressures facing the community.

In a twist from the previous project, participants designed and painted the mural under the instruction of SVSU students enrolled in Art 433: Community Mural Painting. Students enrolled in Art 433 explore applications of traditional and computer-based drawing, painting, and design and use these skills in group projects to create public artworks. Students learned about the historical context of mural imagery in the African American, Latin American, and other communities in Michigan. They also learned project organization and leadership in mural development as applicable to political, corporate and entrepreneurial settings. Consequently, the project benefits not just the youth from the center, but SVSU students who will obtain experience in community mural painting.

Design activity took place at Trinity Center, SVSU, and the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum. SVSU students worked on-site with Trinity youth to paint the mural.

photo: Andrea Ondish