FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

APRIL 24, 2018

ART FEEDS

CONTACT: MEG BOURNE   [email protected]

417-483-8454

MERCY CONTACT: TINA ROCKHOLD [email protected] (620) 224-8842

Art Feeds believes all children are curious, imaginative, innovative, creative and our greatest resource. To fuel these valuable skills, we feed creative development and facilitate emotional expression in children through art and community. We provide free therapeutic art and creative education programs within schools & children’s organizations by mobilizing teams of community members to bring all forms of art into classrooms. Since 2009 we have impacted 40,000 children. To learn more visit: www.artfeeds.org.

MERCY MISSION STATEMENT: As the Sisters of Mercy before us, we bring to life the healing ministry of Jesus through our compassionate care and exceptional service.

MURAL CREATED IN ART FEEDS WORKSHOPS TO BE REVEALED IN MERCY PARK

Saturday, May 5th

10 AM

Located at Mercy Park: 3002 St. Johns Blvd, Joplin, MO 64804

Art Feeds, in collaboration with Mercy Hospital Joplin, is excited to announce the creation of a new community mural at Mercy Park in Joplin, Missouri. The mural will be installed on the backside of the Butterfly Mural already located in the park. The mural, Together We Create, will be revealed and celebrated on Saturday, May 5, at 10 AM at Mercy Park, 3002 St. Johns Blvd.

In September 2017, Art Feeds hosted 50 K-5th graders at two 3-hour mural workshops which took place a aboard Art Feeds new mobile art center, Van Gogh 2.0.  The registration fees for this workshop, as well as the cost of the tile mural and lighting were generously donated by Mercy Hospital Joplin. 

During the 3-hour workshop, the students participated in four lessons used to facilitate the student’s design and production process. The first lesson was the Art Feeds community story telling web. The web illustrated to students that every voice matters. In lesson 2, small group brainstorming highlighted the range of student creativity and allowed the students to decide the mural theme and color scheme.   Students chose the theme “Learning & Growing + Dreams & Perseverance” for the mural.  In lesson 3, students participated in a community collaboration drawing, which emphasized that together, creating something beautiful is possible. Lastly, in lesson 4 students created paint brush buddies to take home and remember their creative experience.

Meg Bourne, Art Feeds Founder and CEO, said, “By collaborating to create murals, students are invited to take ownership of the creative process and in turn experience pride in the finished product. Every student has something in common at the end of a mural project. Though brief, Art Feeds mural projects not only provide opportunities for creative expression and arts education, mural projects also emphasize collaboration, problem solving skills, expression, risk taking, confidence building and student empowerment. Art Feeds believes these methods equip the students for further success in life.”

All the student’s drawings were then shared with Art Feeds graphic designer, Abby Spillane, and placed together to create one cohesive mural design to represent the student’s ideas. The mural design was then provided to Paul Whitehill, Whitehill Enterprises, Joplin.  Whitehill Enterprises was involved when this project was initiated.  It specializes in offering the latest in state of the art digital printing technology using the highest possible quality products for custom tile needs.

“In addition to Art Feeds, the project required a number of organizations and individuals coming together to make this a reality,” said Sharon Beshore, Connect2Culture chair, who envisioned and initiated this community art project at the request of Patrick Tuttle, Joplin Convention & Visitor’s Bureau director. Tuttle knew there was a cement canvas on the back of the Butterfly Mural that was just waiting for the right art project to compliment the mural.  Paul Bloomberg, Joplin Parks & Recreation Department director, provided his cooperation and assistance in making this project a success.  Mercy Hospital Joplin understood the importance of involving children in this community mural project that could successfully be completed through the Art Feeds process.

“Mercy is proud to be a part of this project which encourages the creativity of our community’s children and supports the significant role in which art helps to tells a story,” said Gary Pulsipher, Mercy Hospital Joplin president. “We commend these young artists for working together to create the beautiful mural to be installed at Mercy Park for future generations to enjoy. It’s refreshing to see that the property of the former Mercy hospital has become a space for reflection, rejuvenation and pride for the City of Joplin.”

The mural will be unveiled in a ceremony with the students, parents, community members and donors that made the project possible. Artists will receive treats from Frosted Cakerie and Tropical Smoothie will provide smoothies to attendees of the celebration. All are welcome to celebrate and marvel at the young artists’ work.