“ It is a living, growing and uplifting community mural that will keep evolving.” the mural has brightened up a heavily trafficked corner in the community.
“ It just makes you feel better when you surround yourself with beautiful things,” O’ Mahony explains.“ Small things mean a great deal to people.”
The next step of the project was to coat the wall in weatherresistant paint. Power sketched a rough outline on the wall but let the volunteers adapt their own designs. Zentangle art is supposed to be spontaneous, rather than planned.
“ I didn’ t want to dictate too much,” she says.“ Everyone was a little scared at first, but I told them to just go with it. If you mess up, we will fix it. It’ s just paint.”
It took about a week in July to prepare plywood and canvas frames and paint zentangle patterns on each section. Each section was then attached to the wall.
“ I think it was the hottest and most humid part of summer,” Power laments.
Several volunteers helped paint the mural and install several wooded pieces in the shape of fish, clouds, zeppelins and hot air balloons. Motorists driving by honked their horns and shouted encouragement.
“ It was pretty inspirational,” Power recalls.
Christine Spieler was one of the volunteers who helped paint the mural. Power had been her art teacher in middle school. Spieler graduated from Penn Hills in 2017 and is now studying criminology and psychology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She is overjoyed by the progress on the mural so far, and is now the youth board director for Bring Out the Best Project.
“ I love that our mural is a community asset and that it’ s in an area that’ s highly visible,” Spieler explains.“ I am so proud of our work and the fact we were able to come together as a community to create something so beautiful.”
The finished project will be much more than just an art project, Power says.“ It evokes feeling and thought for the viewers and artists. That wall may have looked very neglected before, but by coming together look what we did as a community.
Future plans include another mural at Sophie’ s Lanes bowling alley on Long Road.
For more information, visit bobproject. org. ■
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