What an exciting and honorable way to kick off 2019!
The ArtEsteem ArtMobile got its tires rolling on this beautiful Saturday to celebrate the inauguration of Mayor Libby Schaaf. With an agenda centered on collaborative mural-building, our staff hung a 17ft canvas on the left wall of the ArtMobile to be prepped for sketching. Once the canvas was held up, experienced artist, Daniel Jimenez began outlining some of Oakland’s most notable buildings to be colored in by our creative community.
Showcasing a clean canvas in his best Vanna White pose is AHC staff, Eddie Escobedo.n
Meanwhile, AHC staff Eddie Escobedo and Phyllis Hall catered to the growing number of youth lining up to participate in the stencil-making program. The stencils were cutouts of Oakland’s greatest treasures; ranging from the California bear to the Bay Bridge to the Oak tree. Participants were provided with the opportunity to either paint on one of the seven stencils onto a piece of paper for personal collection, paint a stencil onto the stretched-out canvas, or freestyle a painting of your choice onto the canvas that best speaks to their 2019 aspirations.
Dozens of participants waited eagerly to bless the canvas with their paint brushes—massaging vibrant colors up and down the space as they could. Drawing even some of our local government representatives to the stage to add to the creative process. Some of those representatives being Council representative Lynette Gibson of District 3—pictured below painting a stencil with the help of AHC staff Eddie—and District 6 Council Member Loren Taylor.
Local super heroine Councilwoman Lynette Gibson stencils an Oakland crane onto the canvas.
Pictured is newly-elected Council Member Loren Taylor assisting his daughter’s fine stencil work.
In all, with enough sunrays to keep the goosebumps down and enough paint to re-coat Frank Ogawa Plaza, the day came to a successful end. The wonderful freestyle paintings by dozens of children proved to be the x-factor that propelled the work of art to be greater than expected. We thank Mayor Libby Schaaf, her wonderful staff, and the tons of awesome individuals that contributed to this memorable collaboration.
