Brainerd YFD / Complex Mural Project
Public Art Chattanooga (PAC) is partnering with the Woodmore Manor Neighborhood Association to commission a community driven mural design and installation on an existing architectural feature on the Brainerd Youth and Family Development (YFD) Center, in order to create a vibrant gathering place for the Woodmore Manor and Brainerd area neighborhoods.
The YFD Center sits behind two prominent destinations, Brainerd High School and the Brainerd Complex, which feature tennis courts and a garden closest to the area's main artery of North Moore Road. One can access the YFD Center by traveling around the tennis courts to the tucked away Center furthest from North Moore Road.
The City of Chattanooga and the Woodmore Manor Neighborhood Association look to transform a large existing “silo” architectural feature on the YFD Center with a mural informed by the community’s input through two community engagement opportunities faciliated by a Creative Strategist. Creative Strategists are artists (or artist teams) who collaborate with City government by applying their creative process as a community engagement strategy in order to help guide neighborhood empowerment through public art. The mural’s completion will create an iconic representation of the Woodmore Manor and Brainerd area neighborhoods.
Are you a Brainerd Area Resident? Help inform the Mural Design!
Artists Erika Roberts and Brandon Donahue have created a survey and these fun activities that will inspire a new mural on the outside of the Brainerd YFD Center. Especially during these uncertain times, making art is a great way to express yourself, take your mind off any worries, or just get lost in your own amazing imagination. Download the activity pages below to participate and share your own ideas and stories that will inspire the artist's design.
Deadline for completing the online survey is Friday, June 5, 2020.
Deadline for returning completed activity pages is Sunday, May 31, 2020.
Drop them off at the Brainerd YFD Center (1010 North Moore Rd. Chattanooga, TN 37411) in the plastic bin outside the front door
Or take a photo of your pages and upload them to the Brainerd YFD Vision Building for Future Mural Facebook Page
Or email them to Brandon Donahue, Muralist
Word Search Puzzles
Find the hidden words in the puzzle. Which word stood out to you first? Why do you think this word stood out for you? Write a sentence about what this word means to you. Highlight a few words and let them guide your drawing on the next page.
Coloring Pages
The coloring page is an outline of where the mural will go on the Brainerd YFD Center. The cylinder-shaped space is a great canvas for a mural and its curved shape will make the artwork appear to pop right off the side of the building. Use your imagination to fill in the space and draw images or words that reflect your ideas and your community.
About the Artist
Photo by Wassaic Project
BRANDON DONAHUE
Brandon Donahue is an artist working in painting, assemblage, and sculpture revolved around memorializing and commemorating. Donahue received his B.S. from Tennessee State University and M.F.A. from The University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Donahue has exhibited nationally and internationally, including the 13th Annual Havana Biennial in Matanzas, Cuba in 2019. He is represented by David Lusk Gallery in Nashville, TN. Donahue now lives and works in Mt. Rainier, MD and is currently an artist in residence at the David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland College Park.
About the Creative Strategist
ERIKA ROBERTS - Velvet Poetry Productions
Erika Roberts is a mother, grandmother, a poet and creator. Her artistry began 36 years ago in elementary school when she was introduced to poetry in the 5th grade. She noticed she had a great relationship with creativity as a means to communicate. Since then, she has become a humble part of the performing community in Chattanooga by creating shows to highlight the creatives therein. Erika is a successful workshop creator and facilitator under her production company, Velvet Poetry Productions, where she has performed at Barking Legs Theater, Bessie Smith Hall, The Hunter Museum, The Camp House, Lincoln Park, and Mercy Junction. She currently is contracted by Glass House Collective, in addition to performing in a monthly late night poetry show at The Palace Theater. Erika is also the recipient of the 2020 Chattanooga Business Elite's Best in the Arts Black Excellence award.
ERIKA ROBERTS
Connect with Us
Public Art Chattanooga
publicart@chattanooga.gov