Murals Project
The
Saratoga Mentoring Program has organized and carried out fourteen mural
projects in Saratoga Springs. The program has collaborated with a number
of artists to lead both outdoor and indoor mural projects - celebrating
the history and culture of Saratoga Springs.
The Mentoring Program seeks to help kids create positive connections in the community. Through the mural projects, youth have learned much about history of the area; they have become more familiar with important institutions, including the Saratoga Springs Public Library, The Arts Center, and Skidmore College; they have learned lessons in painting, architecture, and science. Youth have been challenged physically as well as technically - while they climbed scaffolding to create their works of art.
Importantly, both while preparing for these projects and while painting,
the youth have met building owners, business people, and professionals
who work nearby the mural sites. They have also met respected members
of civic groups who assisted with the projects. Positive exposure to positive
role models has been beneficial to the youth.
The murals are constant reminders to the kids, their families,
and the community that youth can contribute in creative and meaningful
ways to their community. The kids' feelings of self-worth and accomplishment
has been much enhanced by participation in these projects.
Celebration
Celebration, located on Caroline Street, is the first mural painted by
the kids in 1996. The mural honors the students' diverse cultural backgrounds,
while also celebrating Saratoga Springs' rich cultural heritage.
Music!
Music! is located in the entranceway to Caffe Lena's. It is dedicated
to the many musicians who have performed at the coffeehouse.
A Victorian Porch
A Victorian Porch was inspired by the Victorian architecture of Saratoga
Springs. Youth climbed three tiers of scaffolding while painting this
colorful mural located on Division Street.
The
High Rock Spring:
Past, Present, and Future
The High Rock Spring, located on Phila St., celebrates all those who have
visited the healing waters of the High Rock Spring, including Native Americans,
Revolutionary War heroes, and people in the present time.
Choices!
The Choices! Mural, painted at the Saratoga County Mental Health Center,
is a joyful vision of the world of young people and their relationships
with family, friends and community. Young people singing, dancing, reading,
and playing decorate the bottom edge of the mural while the health choices
they can make for a positive life are celebrated in the panels.
Portraits
Portraits features a portrait gallery. Located at The Arts
Center, this playful mural highlights individual works of art painted
by the young artists.
The
Turtle
This moveable 5'x6' mural was painted by eight young people
as a celebration of Black History Month. It is located at the Mentoring
Program office, and travels to sites around New York.
Wetlands
Wetlands was inspired by walks in the southern end of the
Saratoga Spa State Park. Plants, birds, insects, mammals, and other forms
of wildlife are depicted in this mural, located in the Childrens Room
at the Saratoga Springs Public Library.
JAZZ
Twenty-five youth participated in this project, which was
created to honor musicians with roots in Saratoga Springs, especially
those connected to families of the kids. JAZZ is located at the corner
of Caroline and Henry Streets.
Wildflowers
Wildflowers is an indoor mural, located in the entranceway
to the Saratoga Springs Public Library. Each of the 20 wildflowers depicted
in this mural can be found in Saratoga County.
LEAVES
Leaves is located in the atrium of the Children's Museum
at Saratoga. Each leaf in the mural represents a tree found in Saratoga
Springs' Historical Congress Park.
The West Side
The West Side celebrates the history of the West Side,
while honoring the people who have settled there, especially people of
African-American, Italian, and Irish heritage. It is located on Division
Street at the West Side Recreation Field.
Solomon
Northup
This moveable mural commemorates Solomon Northup, a free
citizen of New York, who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841.
At the time, he and his wife, Anne, and three children were living in
Saratoga Springs.
These mural projects were funded, in part, by Decentralization, a regrant
program of the New York State Council on the Arts, administered by the
Saratoga County Arts Council. Support was also provided by Skidmore College,
the Society for the Preservation of the Underground Railroad, The Children's
Museum at Saratoga, and several other institutions.
