In December of 2013, I began to work with @muralartsrestorativejustice . I was incarcerated at Graterford Prison, which despite its many flaws permitted some good programs — including that one. At that point I had been practicing as an artist on my own in prisons for many years, and I had gained considerable proficiency in greeting card making and colored pencil drawing. MAP immediately, profoundly, and irrevocably changed me as an artist and person. During the 8 years I spent in that prison program, I learned how to make murals, and I learned how to say something with art. Over the years, I contributed to many of the murals that still beautify Philadelphia today. I met so many brilliant artists along the way. Some of them are still incarcerated and might not ever get out.
A few weeks ago, I completed this mural that you see here in these photographs — my very 1st as a solo lead designer and artist with MAP. It’s a memorial mural for Christa Lewis, who lost her life in the park in which this mural resides 😔. What a long strange trip it has been. I want to give credit and thanks to every person who taught me something along the way. The list is long; I hope you know who you are. For this particular project, I want to thank Christa’s family members, and especially her mother Joanne. From paint day in April to install in late June, everyone was so supportive and communicative. And I also want to thank @silvergoldberry@lyandlines@taconycdc@taconylab_art_center@muralarts@phillynightowl & @artbynathaniellee .
Please stop by and see it if you’re in Northeast Philly. It’s in Russo Park, at Cottman and Torresdale. 🙏
There will be a dedication, probably in September. I will definitely try to let everybody know.
Measuring, taping off, & installing this fun new mural by Keith Warren Grieman & Mural Arts Philadelphia. It depicts Rittenhouse Square, which makes sense considering it lives right across the street at the Philadelphia City Institute.
Thanks to project manager Pete Angevine for keeping me busy. Thanks also to the Mural Arts operations crew for making sure I had what I needed to get it done. I appreciate you fellas 🙏
Each & every Friday from 5:30-8 throughout the summer, there’s a wonderful open mic at @cosmicphilly , hosted by @tripboyd .
It is outside, and therefore weather permitting, but it was gorgeous last week and it looks like it’s supposed to be the same tomorrow. Come on out, sing a song, do some stand up, show everyone that new dance you’ve been working on; or just enjoy the breeze, pop-up bar, birdsong, and varied performances.
“Box of Rain” vid courtesy of @stephiek55 🙏
☀️🎶🕊️
I still have some work to do on this, but I got off to a good start and had a great time working on it last night. Thanks to @slmatlin for putting together a wonderful party and inviting me to paint.
I’ll share pics when it’s finished in a few weeks.
Another day, another mural installation job — this time at @twistedgingersambler . I met owner/operator Mark Mayer, who was super helpful & hospitable (yes, he has a soul). He shared some cool stories about his business and the can designs.
Art by @jakedombroski_
Prints by @muralprovisions
I spent the last few days installing this mural in Mount Union, PA, a charming little town in the center of the state. Grassroots organizations worked together to design, fund, & execute this project — the Center for Community Action (CCA) handled money & administration, while the Mount Union Mural Committee (a subcommittee of the Juniata River Blueprint Community) put together a few designs and presented them to the local community for feedback and a final vote.
The mural sits along a popular walking/biking path, and the beautiful early March weather brought out a lot of locals who shared all sorts of Mount Union lore. Many talked about how the town boomed back in the day, when steel mills thrived in western PA and Mount Union made the bricks that lined the furnaces.
I met Mary Lou Peduzzi (pictured in frame 4), who spoke of how her family arrived in Mount Union in the early 1900s and operated an adorable soda shop until the 1990s. She showed me around the shop, which still looks a lot like it did when it was open for business. Mary Lou lives above the shop (which is featured in the mural) and preserves it as a piece of family and regional history. She shared a lot of interesting stories, treated me to a late breakfast once the work was done, & sent me home with a jar of homemade spicy mustard. Oh, and she insisted that the “Mount” is never to be abbreviated.
Thanks to @alisha_m_grove , my contact at the CCA; she was instrumental in bringing this project to life. Thanks to @benvolta for regularly connecting me with interesting mural jobs. And special thanks to all the Mount Unionites who stopped by to share stories and discuss the mural as I worked.
