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The Monterey County
Herald
Youths painting the town
MURALS CELEBRATE CULTURE
By SYLVIAMOORE
sdimoore@montereyherald.com
July 24, 2002 - Coming soon to a blank
wall near you: a mural.
They are springing up all over Monterey
County; thanks to groups of young artists and volunteers putting paintbrushes
to public walls as part of the award-winning One Voice Arts & Leadership
Program.
Now in its seventh year, One Voice is
holding "Community Paint gays" almost daily through Aug. 6,
in the project, sponsored by the Office for Employment Training.
This year's paint-a-thon kicked off Friday
With completion of a mural depicting Native Americans in mission dress
from the 18th century. Situated next to the Student Activities Center
at Monterey Peninsula College, the mural is the culmination of a partnership
between One Voice and the college's student union. The scene centers
on fandango dancers kicking up their heels in front of a crowd outside
Custom House and Colton Hall in old Monterey. The mural is intended
to commemorate the joining of different cultures in early California.
Twenty murals will be completed around
the county this year, from Monterey to Big Sur and from Prunedale to
Soledad. That will bring the total of murals completed during the program's
seven years to 74. More than 550 economically disadvantaged youth have
gone through the program, receiving valuable arts and leadership skills.
"The idea is not just to create a
piece of art, but to create a positive social change in our youth,"
said, Joseph Werner, executive director of the Office for Employment
Training.
Werner is One Voice's main cheerleader,
tirelessly overseeing fund-raising efforts and bringing together corporate
sponsors and public agencies to make the murals a reality. He says when
the program first began, the focus was primarily on urban beautification.
Now, Werner says, the program has evolved into one where kids are learning
to appreciate the environment and to respect other people and cultures.
One Voice gets its funding from federal
grants, corporate donations and from the agency or business receiving
the mural. The money goes toward paint, equipment, clothing and salaries
for the kids-between $6.75 and $8.25 an hour. Werner said the designs
for the murals are chosen collaboratively by professional artists, state
and local agencies.
"We're looking for only positive
murals," he said.
The professional muralists lay out the
line drawing and the colors to be used. The final design is approved
by the agency or business receiving the mural. Then the mural is ready
to be painted by the youth artists and the public.
Ryan Sesma, 16, and Khanh Le, 14, were
two of half a dozen One Voice youth artists to work on Friday's old
Monterey mural. It was the first time painting murals for both of them.
Sesma, a Monterey High School junior,
said he has taken art classes for a couple of years. He learned about
One Voice through school.
"I thought it would be fun for a
summer job," said Sesma, who helped paint the mural's border, the
bricks on the statehouse and one of the characters. "'I could be
making money while doing it."
Le said she helped paint a little bit
of everything on the old Monterey mural.
"I like painting," said Le,
who goes to Seaside High. "It's something I do to express myself."
Werner said the kids are even allowed
to put a small design element of their own onto the murals that expresses
their individuality.
Through the One Voice program, young muralists
such as Sesma and Le learn job transferable skills such as teamwork,
group dynamics, creative thinking and problem solving, organizers say.
"We're really excited about doing
these murals," said Werner. "The more collaborative partners
we have, the more we can do these murals."
Sylvia Moore can be reached at 646-4459.
For the pictures that goes with this
article click here.
"The idea is not just to create a piece of art but to 'create a
Positive social change in Our Youth." Joseph Werner, Office for
Employment Training
Take
a LOOK at the mural this article is referring to.
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