Seattle 2014

I wasn't kidding when I said I had one week in between trips. I just got back from a month long art ministry trip in Hawaii to the islands of Maui and the Big Island and now I'm heading right back out on the art ministry road for another creative trip...this time to Seattle. 

 Seattle is a city I am quite familiar with. It was my home from 1987-1999, and then again in 2004. I have many friends and connections in the Seattle area. Since moving to Boise spring of 1999, I have traveled back to Seattle numerous times for visits and for art ministry trips. 

 This time I will be focusing on the neighboring city of Auburn. If you're not familiar with the Seattle area, take a look at the map above...all the cities that sit along the main freeways run together, so the area is like one gigantic continuous metropolis. Auburn sits to the south between Seattle and Tacoma. 

Back when I lived in Seattle in the mid 90's I was interning as a counselor at a therapist agency in Bellevue. Part of the counseling program I was involved with was doing individual, family, and group counseling. Many of the family sessions would take me to do home visits throughout King County. A great deal of those in-home counseling sessions with children were in the Renton-Auburn area. But it's been years since I've really spent any time there. 

 Although the heart of every trip I take will always be the same (to go to and come along side people with whom I have relationship with that are already doing stuff, reaching others, connecting into their community, loving people....and I get to join with them through creativity to connect in with what they are already doing...to listen in on the conversation that God is already having with them and to enter into that conversation in creative ways),though that will never change, every trip I take is very different from the last. 

This trip I get to come alongside a friend from my college days who has asked me to aid her with a large mural project that she is in charge of for a local public elementary school in Auburn. Evergreen Heights Elementary School has received a grant to help beautify their school facilities and part of that is involving painting murals (that the kids themselves have designed). Kaylyn has a team that she's working with to help implement the project and I'll be joining that team when I arrive. Once the murals are prepped, we will be recruiting volunteer help for a big paint-by-number day. Then afterwards we'll do whatever touchups and details are needed to complete it. I feel honored to have been asked to join in on this project to love on some kids in an area of Seattle that I used to work in (in a different capacity) years ago.  

I want to introduce you to Kaylyn and her husband Jaime (and their son Jacob and daughter Kaycee). I get to hangout with them for the next couple of weeks and I'm very excited to reconnect with them. I actually went to college with both Kaylyn and Jaime. Kaylyn and I were roommates for a year once we graduated from college. She is an extremely talented artist and photographer...and a fellow redhead! Both Kaylyn and Jaime have been supportive of my art ministry travels throughout the years. It's such a blessing for me to be able to give back to them by doing a trip that directly impacts them. 

Oh and little known fact, I was in their wedding!    

Stay tuned for blogposts throughout the mural project in Auburn...

WORKING ON DESIGNS FOR THE MURAL

 today i got to spend the day touring around Evergreen Heights Elementary School in Auburn so i could get a good look at the wall space we will be painting over the next couple of weeks. i'm working side by side with Kaylyn (my good friend and President of the EHES PTA who was able to procure the grant for this project). the designs we are using for the project have come from over 300 art submissions from the elementary school children of EHES. we have until the 19th of this month to complete the mural project. 

Kaylyn and i will be focusing on 2 main walls in the lower level that are adjacent to classrooms. the hallways form an L shape (one hall being longer than the other) and we will only be painting one side of each hallway. 

 the smaller wall is 94 feet long and 8 feet tall. there is one large skylight window well and 3 open air windows along it. this is the wall we will be focusing on for a "Paint By Number" design with a big paint day this Saturday utilizing volunteers to help us paint it. Kaylyn and i will be free-hand drawing on one large design that is a combination of several designs submitted by the elementary school children from EHES. 

 the larger wall is 191 feet long and 8 feet tall. there are 4 open air windows and 3 large skylight window wells along it. this is the wall we will be having blocks of color sprayed on as backgrounds and then Kaylyn and i will spend time projecting and painting on images from designs that the elementary school children at EHES submitted for the project. 

here's a sneek peek of the designs as we worked on the concepts today. we were met with a warm welcome and approval when we met with the Principal of the EHES and shared our ideas today. stay tuned for updates of the progression of the project. 

GETTING THINGS ON THE WALLS 

Today was a long day of prepping. I spent the morning sketching out the PAINT BY NUMBER designs onto the shorter wall with a big fat sharpee pen. I had to free hand the design due to the width of the hallway and the difficulty in projecting the designs up on the wall to get it to the scale we needed. So because of how I needed to freehand the design AND the design needed to be simplistic enough for a PAINT BY NUMBER concept working with volunteer paint help, I took several of the designs submitted by children from the school and combined them into one large design that would flow the entire length of the wall. The sketching on of the design went faster than I had expected and I was pleased with the results. 

The following images are from the PAINT BY NUMBER wall from left to right:

this panel has imagery of the school amidst the evergreens 

this panel has imagery of the driveway with a school bus (i didn't put in the people on the bus cuz we'll paint those in after the volunteers have painted the bus itself)

this imagery has a field with lots of children holding hands representing friends (i didn't sketch in their bodies or facial features because we will paint those in after the volunteer help paint the shapes of the heads and hair/hats)

this is a continuation of the panel with the friends

this panel has a iconic rock that sits on the field where the kids play at recess and a Timberwolf (which is the mascot of the school)

this panel has a sun and sky above (and below is a mural of flowers and bugs that was painted there already that we will be incorporating into the larger mural)

At midday Kaylyn was off work and so she and I took off to run errands (purchasing paint and supplies for the entire project). Then once school had ended we came back and began PAINTING!!! We started on the larger wall, painting blocks of color as backgrounds in the panels. She and I will be projecting designs onto those backgrounds and painting them in detail once the PAINT BY NUMBER wall is completed. 

Kaylyn's daughter Kaycee joined us for the painting late into the night. 

The following images are of the large wall from left to right:

this panel we painted the background blue. we will paint colorful words on top of it that describe the school and what the kids like about it

there's a long panel that will be painted beige next (but we didn't have time to paint it tonight, we'll do that tomorrow) it will have imagery of children and teachers representing the many faces of the school. the next panel (the one pictured in the photo) is painted part beige and part gray and will have imagery from the Gym (kids enjoying P.E. class and lunch time)

there is another beige wall next. it will have imagery from classrooms painted on it (kids doing math, reading, learning, etc.)

the final panel which has blue, (green not yet painted in the middle), and beige will have imagery from recess (kids playing tetherball, the swings, monkey bars, etc.)

There's still lots to be done, but it was a GREAT START on the FIRST DAY! Tomorrow we'll finish the color blocks on the larger wall and paint a second coat, along with numbering the PAINT BY NUMBER shapes on the smaller wall to make things easier for the volunteers when they paint. 

I have to say I had heaps of fun today painting and being silly with my friend and her daughter as we worked side by side...but my favorite part of the day was when I was sketching in the designs on the PAINT BY NUMBERS wall. The reason why is because it was at the time school was starting and all the First Graders were walking by me on their way to their classrooms and they expressed such interest in what I was doing. I could hear their little voices conversing with each other about it and they were very excited. This warmed my heart. 

I love what I get to do! 

PAINTING BY NUMBERS, PAINTING BY LIGHT

Today was the day that a hallway at Evergreen Heights Elementary was transformed from dark, dull, dreary, depressing, and even scary to bright, cheery, colorful and life-giving. 

 We had taken some the original drawings and words that the kids had submitted when asked "what do you like best about Evergreen Heights?", combined them into one large design, drew that design on the walls of the hallway, numbered them to match colors for easy painting, and invited volunteers to join us to paint the mural today. 

 We set up a paint station with cups of paint and brushes numbered to coincide with the wall design for easy access to volunteers. 

 All they had to do was choose a color/number, pick up a cup & brush with that number and head to the wall in search of the same number and then paint within the lines designated for that number. 

 We were blessed by close over 30 volunteers throughout the 8 hour work day we had scheduled. 

 Teachers, staff, former staff, current students, former students, parents & PTA members, friends, even the Principal of Evergreen Heights came to participate in leaving a legacy of love on the walls. 

 Side by side people worked, conversed, laughed, shared, reminisced, even shed a few tears of joy together. At the end of the day all the color had been painted and most of the black outlining, leaving only some minor details left to fill in. 

Here is wall #1 depicting the school itself. 

 Here is wall #2 depicting the driveway with a school bus. 

 Here is wall #3 depicting the field with friends hanging out together.

 Here is wall #4 depicting the big rock, the school mascot (the Timberwolf), and a field of flowers. 

 My friend Kaylyn, let me know that today warmed her heart as she realized that the volunteers who were able to come out and help today were not only currently involved in Evergreen, but people who had formerly been involved (people who really do care for this school, for these kids, for the future). There's a legacy being embraced right now...like we're "turning lights on everywhere, illuminating the way."

 This place is changing me. The love I am seeing and experiencing through these people for a public Title One elementary school drawing from a low-income area of Auburn (an outlying city near Seattle) and it's students and staff, is astounding to me. I travel the world getting to reach out to communities through creativity. I love what I get to do for others...but what I'm doing is nothing compared to what they are doing for themselves. 

HALFWAY POINT

That's right! We're at the half way point in completing this mural project for Evergreen Heights Elementary in Auburn, Washington. On Saturday we had over 30 volunteers help us Paint by Number the shorter hallway wall murals. It was a great time collaborating together through creativity to brighten up that hallway for the children. On Sunday Kaylyn and I finished up the black outlining and any details still needed. This morning we made sure to get to the school early enough so we could witness the kids first look at the completed colorful walls in that hallway. We both had smiles from ear to ear as the children came through and all exclaimed "Wow!" amongst other gasps, giggles, and chatter. They immediately wanted to touch the walls. There wasn't one kid that wasn't excited and expressing some kind of joy. Many who spotted us standing there thanked us for painting for them. One little boy (who I'm told is autistic) saw the stick figure kids painted on the field and reached out and touched one of the stick figures' hair and face. He lingered there. He had "found" one that looked like himself painted on the wall. My heart melted. 

Here are the completed murals on the shorter hallway: 

Today we continued working on the longer hallway wall murals. We used opaque projectors to project images (from the drawings the kids had submitted) up onto the walls and trace them. Each wall section has a theme to represent aspects of life at Evergreen Heights. 

 This is the first part of a wall representing all the people at Evergreen Heights. The images are of the kids choir that sings in competitions. 

 The middle part of that people wall has a huge group of kids with the word "me" and an arrow to one of the stick figures, showing that the individual is a part of the whole. 

 The next part of that people wall is of various images showing kids and teachers and the PTA all together. There's even a rather large drawing of the Principal in a superhero costume. 

The next wall section represents what happens in the Gym at the school. Most of the kids wrote about and drew pictures of how much they love P.E. and lunch. So the images are of various things going on during those activities. 

The next wall section represents the Class Room and the Library. The images show various aspects of learning (math, science, reading, writing, art, computers, etc.)

The final wall section represents the Playground and Field where the kids have Recess. The images are of the kids playing and enjoying themselves.

This is the final part of that Recess section. 

Tomorrow we will begin adding color to all the black outlines. We'll try to stay as true to how the kids originally colored them on their papers as we can, keeping that child-like artwork feel. 

There is one more wall section in this long hallway that we still need to outline...it's the blue wall that will have various words (different sizes, fonts, colors) that describe life at Evergreen Heights. 

This project has been so fun to work on and with each step we complete there's more and more joy being released into these halls. 

COLOR TRANSFORMATION

Today we got to work on adding color to the images we had projected onto the walls in the larger hallway. It's amazing how quickly the addition of color began to transform the place instantly.

Kaylyn began painting in the words on the blue section of wall. Each word represents an aspect of life at Evergreen Heights Elementary. 

Most of the words were things the children had written on their submissions for the mural designs. 

With the help of a couple of volunteers today, we were able to complete the section of wall that represents the Playground and Recess. 

To make things easier for myself and the volunteers, I decided to go ahead and number the images (like I did with the Paint By Number walls) to coincide with the paint color numbers we had already come up with for the other hallway. Even though I didn't originally design this hallway to be Paint By Number (we don't actually have the time to facilitate another big volunteer day-due to a time sensitive deadline we need to complete the project by) this was actually one of those "ah-ha" ideas I had today. We had projected the images that the children had submitted yesterday (getting an exact representation of their artwork on the walls) and traced them. We were just going to paint by the colors the kids used on their original drawings (which we could just look at and paint as we went along). But it seemed the easiest solution today to use the number system since we are being blessed by some volunteers filtering in this week to help (which we didn't expect). So by numbering the images the volunteers can easily help (pick a number, grab a color and brush and paint that number found on the walls) and it would also help us to not have to keep referring to pages of artwork (cutting down on time). Yay! I love learning on the job! 

We were able to partially complete the wall section representing things that go on in the Classroom. It will get completed tomorrow. 

While we were painting the walls, the kids were given permission to do artwork not he sidewalks at the front of the school as an end of the year expression of life at Evergreen. 

Just as our colorful artwork was transforming the hallways, their colorful artwork was transforming the sidewalks. 

Tomorrow we continue our painting...it's coming along! 

"WE GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS"

The deadline for us to complete the mural project at Evergreen Heights Elementary is tomorrow. School ends tomorrow (Thursday) and a remodeling construction project for the school begins on Friday, so we must be completed and off campus by tomorrow afternoon. This has left us with less than 2 weeks (from start to finish). We might have had more time, but I was in Hawaii during the entire month of May on another art ministry trip and last week was the soonest I could arrive in Auburn. Though Kaylyn had done A TON of behind the scenes admin work way before I arrived (it's been a 2 year project in the making!) we didn't officially start the actual implementation of the mural painting until last week Tuesday! 

It's been an amazing experience for me!  We've designed, prepped, and painted these murals in the 2 huge outdoor hallways at the school in less than 2 weeks! On this project I've gotten to work side by side with my long time friend Kaylyn (who is the very dedicated President of the Evergreen Heights PTA and a talented artist/photographer with a heart of gold that loves on kids and mastermind of this mural project to leave a legacy that brings joy and light to the hallways of Evergreen) and some amazingly giving volunteers who have come out to brave the damp, cold, windy concrete outdoor hallways that we are painting. Many came to paint, others came to help set up and clean up, and others even came by to encourage and bring refreshment.

Last Saturday we had our huge Paint By Number volunteer day to work on the shorter hallway. Over 30 people showed up to help paint! This week were weren't expecting any help...but surprisingly a few people have shown up to lend a hand on the longer hallway. 

I gotta say, we accomplished a miracle with these murals because of these wonderful volunteers! 

I know I can't name everyone but...

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP!!!

Today we accomplished ALL the painting in the longer hallway along with 2/3rds of the outlining! 

THE PLAYGROUND MURAL:

Wall Ball, Tether Ball...

Monkey Bars, Swings, Basketball...

THE CLASSROOM MURAL:

Books, Art, Writing...

Math, Science, Computers, Reading, The Library...

THE GYM MURAL:

Parchute, Go to your Number on the Floor for P.E...

Lunch...

THE PEOPLE MURAL: 

The Choir...

Everyone and I'm Included...

Friends, Staff, PTA helpers...

The Principal (a superhero), Teachers (one dressed as a penguin!)...

THE WORD MURAL: 

Words and Phrases that describe life at Evergreen Heights...

to be outlined in black tomorrow! 

LEAVING A LEGACY OF LIGHT AND LOVE

Kaylyn and I have COMPLETED the Mural Project at Evergreen Heights Elementary ON TIME! It took us 10 days total. We completed a hallway that was 94 feet long (with 5 mural panels) and a hallway that was 191 feet long (with 5 mural panels). We couldn't have completed it on time without the generous help of several volunteers. 

It has been like painting light and love into those dark, cold, damp outdoor hallways. Everyone (teachers, staff, the Principal, parents, students, families, friends, former students and staff) has continuously thanked us for what we have done for them. It's come in the way of verbals, posters, messages, food, drink, and hugs. 

I'm reminded to mention that although Kaylyn and I designed the mural walls at Evergreen Heights, the designs came from the students themselves. Over 300 students submitted drawings to the statement: "What I love about Evergreen Heights". Kaylyn and I looked through all of the images and picked numerous ones that would represent well on the walls. We then came up with the overall imagery based on those images. For the 94 foot wall I created Paint by Number murals for easy painting (especially for volunteers). I free handed the designs on the walls. For the 191 foot wall we chose to project the actual images the kids submitted (using opaque projectors) and we traced them on the walls (to get an exact representation). I later numbered them for easier painting. 

THE 191 FOOT HALLWAY:

The wall of Words representing aspects of Life at Evergreen Heights. 

The wall representing all the People at Evergreen (the students, the teachers, the PTA, the Principal). 

The wall representing the Gym where P.E. and Lunch is held. 

 The wall representing aspects of the Classroom and Library. 

The wall representing the Playground at Recess. 

THE 94 FOOT HALLWAY:

 The wall representing the School amidst evergreen trees. 

 The wall representing the Front Driveway to the school. 

Today I got to paint in kids and a bus driver into the bus. 

The wall with stick figures representing Friends. 

 I want to pause here to share something that happened today, something that has affected me in a profound way. I got to paint glasses on this stick figure. The reason was that there is a little boy who goes to Evergreen Heights who is autistic who has really connected with this particular stick figure. He "found" himself on the wall the other day and lingered there touching the hair and the face. Getting to see that interaction with him and the painted image melted my heart. Today Kaylyn asked him if we could see the stick guy who was him on the wall. He went directly to this figure. She then asked if it would be okay for us to paint glasses on the face (cuz the boy has glasses) and that way they would be twins. He agreed with a nod of his head and a smile. So I got to paint on the glasses and then I was able to take some photos of him and the image of himself. We were all smiling from ear to ear! 

I love what I get to do!!!!! 

 The wall representing the big Rock that sits out on the field near the playground, and a Timberwolf.

The wall representing the field of flowers as Hands (which were actual kids hands imprinted on the wall). 

A year ago in June one of Evergreen Heights' own tragically drowned. Cooper Howat was 8 years old. He was a very likable kid. His older brother Connor also attends Evergreen. His death has profoundly affected not only his own family, but also the staff, the teachers, the students and families at Evergreen. His life won't be forgotten.

The school honored Cooper with a ceremony dedicating a bench in his name in the center courtyard. The school's choir has a special patch on their shirts commemorating Cooper. The classroom that was his classroom now has special Cooper stickers on all the desks. 

Being that Cooper will always be a huge part of Evergreen Heights Elementary, Kaylyn and I wanted to honor Cooper within the mural. We talked to his brother Connor and together made the decision to paint Cooper in as The Timberwolf. So the name tag around it's neck has Cooper's initials "CH". Forever remembered in paint and "Always a Timberwolf". 

again...I love what I get to do!!!!!

 I have thoroughly enjoyed partnering with Kaylyn on this project. 

Here we are making a lasting impression.

 Leaving our mark.

With hands of LOVE, painting on people's lives. 

Today was the last day of school. This was the scene today at Evergreen Heights Elementary as all the kids boarded their school buses to leave. The teachers and staff gathered in the driveway (with dance party music blaring) and danced and waved to the kids. The kids waved back and the bus drivers drove the buses around the circle a couple of times so everyone could wave and cheer and then off they went. Kaylyn and I were standing there with tears running down our cheeks! It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever witnessed. I was blown away at all the celebrating, encouraging, and loving that was going on. And this happens EVERY LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! Incredible! This school is truly special. The Principal, the teachers, the staff, the students...they all love each other so much and believe in each other. 

Thank you Kaylyn for leaving a Legacy of Light and Love at Evergreen Heights Elementary while you were the PTA President. and Thank you for asking me to be a part of such a noble project. This has been an extraordinarily profound art ministry trip for me. 

I will never be the same.