Mitchel Mandala mural
Summer 2021 The Bronx NY
This project was produced by Art Bridge, in partnership with the Mitchel Resident Association and Mitchel Community Cornerstone. Responding directly to sentiments shared among residents, this work is also a memorial, honoring those recently lost to Covid-19 and gun violence. I also provided a number of workshops including my Mandala coloring meditation to offer some healing and relief to the community. The Mitchel Mandala is a bright and colorful illustration of this beautiful community. I created Mandalas inspired art that uses sacred symbols for meditation, prayer and healing. My goal is to show the spirit and strength of the residents and honor all those they recently lost.
Bridging the Divide
The overall theme for this mural is a mandala coloring book. Mandalas are sacred symbols that are used for meditation, prayer, healing. I wanted to capture the essence of the Mitchels Houses and display it in bright vibrant colors to catch the eye and stimulate the mind. These illustrations represent the diversity of the mitchel community from the youth to the elders and front line workers. I also used symbolic animals like The Phoenix, Eagle and Butterflies that reflect the spirit, strength, resiliency, and Love of the people. The Candle and Doves are to memorialize all those this community has recently lost and to pay respect to them. Mandala coloring books are great art therapy for both adults and children, clinical studies have shown Mandalas to boost the immune system, reduce stress and pain, lower blood pressure, promote sleep and ease depression.
This was a series of ongoing artist residencies at New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments throughout NYC. NYCHA provides affordable housing for 400,000 lower-income New Yorkers. Through this program, artists engage with residents through a variety of workshops and create artworks that empower residential narratives. The resulting exhibition is displayed in large-scale on construction fencing that surrounds the NYCHA development.
