Sioux Falls mural project featured on National Endowment for the Arts website

Check out this great feature about our mural project in Sioux Falls on the National Endowment for the Arts website.
http://arts.gov/exploring-our-town/whittier-neighborhood-mural-project

"Aim for Justice"

"The work of artists and creative activists can help to create a cultural democracy that prizes diversity, practices equity, and brings a deep respect for human rights to every aspect of civil society. Therefore, the people-powered U.S. Department of Arts and Culture* calls on all artists and creative activists to join in the movement to demilitarize the police and bring justice to victims of publicly funded racism." - from the USDAC Call: Creativity for Equity and Justice

"Aim for Justice" spraypaint stencil by Dave Loewenstein

Nerd Nite!

The jig is up. My cover is blown. I'm giving a presentation at Nerd Nite this Wednesday at Pachamamas. My topic " From the League Dumpster to Funky Town: Not so Hidden Economies of Good Will in Lawrence." Hope to see you there.

The completed Independence mural

Under Independence Stars

Located at the corner of Pennsylvania & Laurel

Independence, Kansas

Lead Artist  Dave Loewenstein

Assistant  Ashley Laird

Apprentice  Rachel Unruh

Special Co-Apprentices  Wanda Myers and Thea Albertson

Project Manager  Donna Rothgeb 

Painted with the help of more than seventy local volunteers

 

Supported by

Astra Arts Festival

National Endowment for the Arts

Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission

Thank you to everyone who participated and made this project possible.

Independence Mural Dedication

Please Join Us

Sunday, July 13th

3:00pm

 corner of Laurel & Pennsylvania

Independence, KS

Hear lead artist Dave Loewenstein speak about the project and enjoy light refreshments as we cut the ribbon for this beautiful new addition to our community. 

Independence mural design and community painting

We arrived back in Independence on July 1st to prepare the wall and start painting. I'm still working on the finer details of the color study. Here it is in process.

The design celebrates the Independence community as it gathers to watch the 4^th of July fireworks and contemplate the stars behind them. Framed by the brilliant and beautiful explosions of color, picnic goers and festival attendees share a moment of awe and wonder under the evening sky. The magical and playful scene up above is characterized by Independence inspired constellations including, the Kiddy Land shoe house, Riverside Park lion, symbol of Neewollah, riverboat (drawn by a local student a school), the Little House on the Prairie cabin, one of the fish from the mural painted previously on this wall and Miss Able in her rocket ship. In silhouette along the horizon are other icons of the community like Lady Justice, the Sinclair dinosaur, baseball stadium lights and fantastic Riverside Park slides.  Groups of figures on the right and left are symbolic representations of the diversity of Independence plus a few well-known characters. On the left waving is Alf Landon, Kansas Governor and Presidential candidate, and on the right a young William Inge seeking poetic  inspiration from the festivities.

The day after Independence Day we began painting. Making our way around exploded bottle rockets and firecrackers, we started blocking in background colors for the evening sky and silhouettes along the horizon. More than 60 energetic volunteers came out to help.

Mural on day 3

Facing EAST

On the evenings of June 27th and 28th, filmmaker Nicholas Ward premiered his short film "Facing EAST" projected onto the outside of my studio at 411 East 9th Street. The nine-minute film is composed of interviews with East Lawrence residents from a former mayor to a beloved street musician. You can watch it here http://vimeo.com/99573994