Week 8 First Steps

Welcome back!

Cleaning The Wall:

This week, I finally began working on the wall. After much coordination with faculty, I was able to prep the wall space for my work. Additionally, I gathered the first box of materials that arrived at the school. This included the much-needed Dawn dish soap and scrub brush, which would allow me to begin cleaning. I came in early Thursday morning with everything set up for this purpose. The faculty had already set up the hose, blocked off the wall, and expanded out the four-square court. As I began the cleaning of the wall, I received assistance from Mr. O’Neil and Mr. Graham to get missing materials such as a bucket for a soapy-water solution, as well as a ladder to reach high places. Additionally, Mr. Graham, with great effort, helped me remove the protective cushions on the wall’s corners to allow me greater access to the wall itself.

Unexpected Challenges:

During the cleaning process, I ran into some unexpected challenges. For starters, despite having done in-depth research into heavy-duty scrub brushes, especially ones with handles to reach high spaces, the one I ordered turned out to be cheap. After ten minutes of scrubbing, the metal handle snapped on me. Luckily, the brush only needed to be used that day, and despite its shortened handle, it got the job done.

Secondly, when the protective cushions were removed, an adhesive remained. Luckily, I was able to pull a scraper out of the paint roller kit. Mr. Graham also assisted me with their removal; however, some bits were too stubborn to remove and have remained as obstructions on the wall.

As I continued to clean, I realized the severity of the holes in the wall. Although I was aware of them previously, working up close really made them much more apparent and threatened the quality of the final piece. After cleaning, I made sure to reach out to both of my advisors for their advice. Additionally, I conducted research on possible overlays and various types of spackles. Unfortunately, the time I found it would take to order the extra materials and fill in the gaps, as well as the drying time, would extend my project beyond what I would want. I concluded I’d fill the holes with paint to the best of my ability and avoid placing any important design components over the larger holes.

Lastly, as I cleaned, I found a couple of cockroaches crawling around and on the wall. Although they won’t affect the integrity of the mural itself, I’ll keep them in mind as I continue to work on the wall.

Next Steps:

I’m letting the wall dry over the weekend, and I plan to come in early Monday to prime it. My plan for next week is to prime and sketch out the design on the wall. I hope to begin painting the week following next.

Live Painting Event at Westchester Soccer Club:

On Friday, I met up with Marco Santini in Westchester at the Westchester Soccer Club. There, he live-painted a large tarp for the Westchester Soccer team. I helped him set up and film his interactions with the community as he asked them what the Westchester soccer team meant to them. His events are always inspiring in how he is able to connect and represent a community through his interactive artwork. I am so excited to continue working with him and help out at more of his events.

Thank you so much for following along with my mural progress. Stay tuned for more project updates!!!