Area youths are preparing to create a mosaic mural on a Roxbury Farm and Garden Center warehouse based on artist Suzanne Moe's conception, shown above. illustration by Suzanne Moe
MOREart! intends to bring diverse youths together to promote understanding
A small group of Fredericksburg young people met for the first time yesterday to embark on a project that they were told repeatedly will make history.
With the help of two professional artists, the eight city school students will create a mosaic mural, 8 feet high and 31 feet long, that will be installed on the back of a warehouse building at Roxbury Farm and Garden Center.
"You will be able to show your children, your grandchildren, your great-grandchildren for years to come and tell them about the coming together that created this," said Xavier Richardson, vice president of the Multicultural OutReach Effort, which is sponsoring the project.
MORE is made up of city leaders of all ages and diverse ethnic backgrounds. The group's goal is to "create opportunities to bring people together who, through where they work or live or through their daily lives, aren't coming together," said Susan Spears, MORE president.
With flowers, leaves, dragonflies, sun and sky, the mural designed by project organizer Suzanne Moe offers these words: "Nurture Diversity" and "Cultivate Harmony."
Getting kids involved in the project, and in diversity efforts, is vital, Richardson said.
"You are going to be the true bearers of our message, the vision we have to make harmonious a diverse community," Richardson told the students yesterday.
Most of the students chosen to participate learned about the project through their art teachers. Each had to fill out an application expressing interest, and each will devote time just about every Wednesday to crafting the mural. The mural will be installed the week of June 18.
At their first meeting yesterday, on the stage in the auditorium at the original Walker-Grant School, the students learned a bit about the tools they'll use, about mosaics and about each other through team-building exercises.
Though all of the students have an interest in art, none has done mosaics yet.
"I wanted to do this because I knew we would make history and I like giving back to the community for all it's done for me," said Joy Cunningham, 14. "I think it'll make the final product more meaningful since it will be done with people from so many different backgrounds."
Ashley McNeil, 13, was looking forward to trying a new medium.
"I want to get started. I'm ready to start smashing tiles!" she said from behind a grin. "I'm really excited about seeing it at the end. I think it's going to be really pretty."
Rudy Gutierrez, at 18 the oldest of the students on the project, said it was hard to find words to describe his feelings.
"Just everything. The whole thing," he said. "It brings everyone together, brings the community closer together. I'm speechless."
It will cost about $13,000 for supplies to create the mural, and MORE is doing fundraising for the project. Members of the team are all donating their time and talents.
Rudy Gutierrez, 18, James Monroe High School, Hispanic/Latino
Joy Cunningham, 14, Walker-Grant Middle School, African-American
Krystle Demboski, 16, James Monroe High School, American Indian (Blackfoot grandmother and Iroquois great-grandfather) and Caucasian (French-Canadian grandparents and Polish grandfather)
Katie Littleton, 14, James Monroe High School, Caucasian (Lebanese, Irish, English)
Angus Hamilton, 14, Walker-Grant Middle School, African-American and Caucasian
Ashley McNeil, 13, Walker-Grant Middle School, African-American and West African (great-grandfather from Sierra Leone)
Pierre Woodson, 11, Walker-Grant Middle School, African-American
D'Angelo Veney, 12, Walker-Grant Middle School, African-American
Katherine Harris, assistant, 19, taking a break from college, Caucasian
coordinators
Suzanne Moe has been a self-employed graphic artist in downtown Fredericksburg since 1989. In 2000, she received training from internationally acclaimed mosaic mural artist Isaiah Zagar and worked on a community-mural piece in the inner city of Philadelphia. She wanted to bring that same kind of community project to Fredericksburg.
Andrea Shreve Taylor met Moe in 2002 and they have since have collaborated on several pieces. Taylor created the "Golden Retriever" mosaic dog for the "Pawsitively Fredericksburg" community art project. She teaches mosaics at Bluebird Studio in Stafford. She has several years of experience as a project manager and educator.
Both Moe and Taylor are members of the Society of American Mosaic Artists, and Taylor serves on the organization's advisory board.
December 2006: Applications turned in and reviewed by the MOREart! youth selection committee
Jan. 26: Youth team members selected and notified
Feb. 17: First team meeting. Introductions, project overview and group discussion
Feb. 21-May 30: Weekly team meetings to review and discuss project timeline. Various components of the mural will be designed in stages and created indoors
June 1: Commencement ceremony (First Friday). Kickoff event with community leaders and elected officials
June 18-22: On-site mural installation (weather permitting)
July 6: Grand unveiling ceremony/party (First Friday)
The organization is raising funds to pay for the supplies needed to create the mural. For information, contact MORE President Susan Spears at susanspears@cox.net or Vice President Xavier Richardson at xavier.richardson@medicorp .org. Visit morefredericksburg .org online and click on MOREart!
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