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Arts & Leadership Program
County of Monterey

One Voice Home > One Voice Press > Previous Years' Articles >Community Paint Days

Aromas Tri-County News

COMMUNITY PAINT DAYS

July, 2002 - Monterey County elected officials and the public were invited to pick up : paintbrush and paint alongside youth muralists as part of the 7th Annual On Voice Arts & Leadership Program (OVALP). The Office for Employment Training's Community Paint Days were held in July. There are two more day scheduled: August 2nd and 6th in Castroville and Soledad. As part of the award-winning OVALP, sixteen outstanding murals are being painted in eleven locations: Aromas Fire Department; Giant Artichoke Restaurant in Castroville La Gloria Elementary School in Gonzales; Greenfield Public Library; Marin Post Office; Student Activities Center at Monterey Peninsula College; Moss Landing Middle School; Prunedale Library; National Steinbeck Center and Salinas Californian in Salinas; San Pablo Bakery and Interior Concepts in Seaside and in Soledad at Mike's Pizza and Soledad Furniture.
During the "Community Paint Days," the youth muralists were able t demonstrate where and what to paint, how to mix paint, and the significance c each mural theme. During these fun and participative events, everyone became personally engaged and demonstrated their support of the mural project. According to Joseph Werner, Executive Director of the Office for Employment Training, who conducts the OVALP, "These mural programs are more about changing lives than changing the landscape. It's not about the art but about the changes that art makes in youth. These positive changes in turn yield returns to the community that go beyond the beautification of its walls".

The federally-funded youth employment program is the largest and most successful in the tri-county area. OVALP has been honored by the National Endowment of the Arts and has been on display in the California Capitol in Sacramento and in the Monterey County Courthouse. It recently received Business Excellence Award from the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. At the end of the summer, 74 murals will have been complete throughout Monterey County making it the most influential public arts program in recent history. During this period, over 550 economically disadvantaged youth will have received significant training in the arts and leadership curriculum, with many having received academic credit at both college and high school. Youths are paid $6.75-$8.25 per hour.

The two remaining days are: Friday, August 2, Giant Artichoke, 1124 Merritt Street, Castrovi11e and Tuesday, August 6, Mike's Pizza, 585 Front Street and Soledad Furniture, 431 Front Street, Soledad. Both are from10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The theme for Aromas is Urban/Rural Firefighting and Rescue. The American firefighter is a modern day hero who selflessly risks his or her life to protect the lives of all. The mural depicts many ways in which firefighters, paramedics and educators serve our community. It is a tribute to the sacrifice they make on a daily basis to ensure our safety. In trompe l'oeil style, this mural displays our gratitude to these men and women who risk their lives every day. The theme for Castroville is Artichokes and Industry. This mural celebrates the history of the Artichoke industry circa 1940's and 1950'sinCastroville. Known as the Artichoke Center of the World, this beautiful coastal community enjoys a moist microclimate that is ideal for the cultivation of artichokes. Local workers are depicted harmoniously performing various tasks of the period from cultivation to transportation, including the hand harvesting of artichokes in sacks, a method still in practice today. Castroville was part of the Salinas Valley's pioneering method of refrigerated shipping by train. Blocks of ice were manually loaded into ice sheds, crushed in a chipping machine, and sprayed into train boxcars to preserve fresh artichokes for shipping. The background scenery depicts Castroville's early history of the grazing and dairy industry as shown by the Royal Creamery and the lush rolling fields of the Castroville region. The theme for Moss Landing is Cultural Inclusion. We are recognized and unified by differences and similarities according to gender, culture, language, identity, income level and ethnicity, just to name a few. Such diversities challenge our intellect and emotions as we learn to live and work together. These two murals depict harmony and diversity in many aspects of student life. The murals are meant to enrich and inspire youth to embrace diversity not only in the classroom but in social and competitive situations a well. The theme for Prunedale is History of Writing. The written word ha played a powerful role throughout history in both informing and entertaining people. These two murals depict important inventors, storytellers and artist who have played key roles in this history. From ancient cave painting to the invention of the printing press, writing has been preserved over time for all to enjoy. The murals display the people responsible for the evolution of the written word as well as the authors who inspire new generations of readers.

More Paint Days are scheduled during the week of August 12. Call Joseph Werner, Executive Director of the Office for Employment Training a 796-3313 or the Administrative Staff at 796-3320 for final dates.

For the picture that goes with this article click here.

Take a LOOK at the murals this article is referring to.