Dear Community, We’re assuming you’ve read about our background and getting The Art Wall Project off the ground. We’re also assuming you’ve read our February 2018 update. We feel like were a solid 92% done and will complete by August 31, 2018. I promise to encourage my other artist to finish before then, but as of now here’s what’s been happening since February. After some small bumps in the road (knee stitches from painting fatigue on a ladder) and a car accident (one of our artists, Ben, may or may not have totaled his car), we’re back on track. Here’s the update, artist by artist: Nicky Davis visited Lafayette from February 22-26, and he knocked out 2 walls in no time flat. Spectacular work and truly a lovely person to watch paint and chat with. Nicky is currently pursuing his practice in Houston and recently installed art for the ILLectric River Music & Art festival in New Braunfels, Texas. Bravo! We hope we can get him back to the Flat for future projects. Nicky and I painted Thursday til late evening since the weather was pretty chill and the wind the following days looked to be picking up. We got started early on Friday and blasted through the day. Took a break in the afternoon as we had made some nice headway. afternoon/evening two of our local artists showed up to paint. During the recent Lafayette Artwalk weekend, one of our artists, Burt, finished his mural. We’ve gone out to his since that weekend to added extra coats of paint. But he’s finished! With regard to his work, this is based on “older Burt” work. Ben has been working diligently on his mural and making sure I stay in the loop. A few times I set up days with him so he could get out to paint and use my ladder. He’s made significant progress and we’re feeling 88% completed. We’re planning to meet up in the next week so he can use my ladder and complete a portion of what’s left on his piece. As for Jacob, he’s also been working away at his wall. I drive by from time to time to see his progress. Jacob is an artist in residence at Gallery 333. The Art Wall project is located behind Gallery 333. So he gets to be sneaky like a ninja and paint whenever is convenient for him. He’s about 93% completed. As for me, on March 18th I painted for a few hours. That’s when I realized I had drawn my lines backwards. I was basing my line work from a linoleum plate I plan to print. When you print linoleum, the drawing has to be drawn “backwards” so that it prints in the “right” direction. Le Sigh. It’s the curse of the printmaker. We do it in reverse as I’ve heard. Silly me. Drawing directly from the linoleum plate. I was just trying to make the two match up. Double Derp. So yeah, lots of whiteout so to speak. I completed my mural! So at this point, I’m just working with Ben, Jacob and Burt to finalize their murals. Once they’re done, we will add sealant to the walls and we’re done! As for my feelings on the project. I would advise others pursuing the same to recuit additional team members to participate along with them. The more help you have, the easier time with delegating responsibilities. With regard to the Open Call for artists: this was a challenging effort. Lafayette claims they want to support their local artists. I honestly believe they do. I was constantly encouraging artists to apply. My board president was helping me too. We tried direct messaging and a variety of social media outlets. We posted every other couple of posts on my personal page and the Facebook and Instagram page for Freetown Studios. We even added this call info to the Freetown Studios website. I would have killed for an opportunity of this nature back when I was an undergrad or even fresh out of high school. Being an artist is hard work. People are not going to come find you. You are your own cheerleader and its up to you to make opportunity for yourself. It’s why I started Freetown Studios. So that we could create art opportunities for emerging and established artists. I guess it helps if the artist wants the opportunity. With regard to the art: If I do this again, I will set parameters for my local artists to help them to refine their work and schedule to complete work. I feel like it has dragged on beyond what I anticipated. Am I proud of it? Yes. Blood, Sweat, and Tears, YES! Would I do it again? Absolutely! Thank you, Susan David (team leader)

Dear Community,

We’ve found ourselves a little backed up given the weather situation over the last couple of months. Who would have thought we’d experience rain for the basically all of December? Follow that up with two hard freezes, a cracked pipe, and brutally cold wind to buff walls. Well then, my community, you have yourselves our starting point. But we’re not going to let the weather hold us back any longer!

We’ve starting prepping the walls. Our first artist has sketched her first lines, our visiting artist, Nicky Davis, will be painting from February 22-26, 2018 due to Mardi Gras rain delays. All other local artists have met with the project director and have even raided her paint stash ;-). Now that the weather is leveling out we aim to have these murals completed in no time at all. All 24 Hour Citizen Project funds have been expended at this point. Our hard deadline is 2018, but we anticipate that everything will be completed by April 2018 – in time for Festival International.

Susan David (Team Leader)

Dear Community,

A little background… My name is Susan, I’m the Executive Director of Freetown Studios (www.freetownstudios.org). I am also the Curator/Project Manager for The Art Wall Project (previously known as the Grafitti Wall). In 2016, I was approached by a 16 year old young man, Asher Corbell, and he asked me to help him create a Graffiti Wall (similar to HOPE Gallery in ATX). I told him I wanted to help in any way possible and became his team member. I encouraged him to apply to a 24 Hour Citizens Project, and he was awarded $1,000.

As mentioned during previous updates, locating a space was difficult as Lafayette is just jumping on the mural/street art scene. As in just barely dipping its toe in the water for the “mural/street art scene” and we still have lots of work to do with the public misconception about graffiti. Most locations fell though because the for reasons of conservatism (I guess) and (perhaps) the organic nature of the concept was difficult to grasp as most building owners want a mural to help “brand” their business and that restricts the creativity of the artist. Most artist (myself included) can see an image of what they want to paint within seconds of looking at a surface (i.e.,page, a wall, and/or a canvas).

Our team has since prevailed, and has identified a location at 124 and 126 S. Buchanan St., Lafayette, LA 70501. The property is owned by LPTFA (Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority). With that location came a change in vision for the wall. The prior ever changing “Graffiti Wall” concept has been changed to the “Art Wall,” which will be designated doors targeted for murals by artists through a formal application process. Each mural will be a permanent public street art installation.

Our team was able to negotiate a contract to include a stipend per door for the artist to use as need for materials as well as a fee for the overall curation of the project. There are a total of 7 roll up warehouse doors, with the benefit being multiple “canvases” for art and the ability to pay our artists working on the project. We also agreed to create a “Call for Art” to have artist applicants submit an application to a juried call to be chosen to work on the project. Our deadline for the artist submission was October 31st and we will announce all participants after November 15th. We anticipate the first artist to start working over Thanksgiving and through December as weather permits with the project to be completed by July 2018.

Follow us here: https://www.facebook.com/artwallatbuchanan/

Thanks,
Susan David (Team Leader)