by thesavageway | Dec 30, 2014 | clean graffiti
#thesavageway won an art grant sponsored by Project Art Aid’s Queen City Soup. The grant is to execute positive Clean Graffiti messages/art around high-risk Charlotte neighborhoods. Upon winning, #thesavageway partnered with Project LIFT & West Charlotte High School to make a larger, more direct community impact. As this project unfolds, #thesavageway will be documenting their experience working with the students.
On December 18, 2014 we met for round 2 with the West Charlotte High School students. Today we brought along one of our videographers, Jacob Teer, to capture our progress and record the class for a future video we are having produced.
Paula & Torrie with art teacher Mrs. Beverly Smith.
Jacob Teer – Teer Drop Photography
Since our last visit, the students have been broken into two groups and they have done some incredible research on graffiti artists and Clean Graffiti as an art form. We sat down with each group to get their feedback on the method and to answer questions. These IB art students started pulling away the layers of what Clean Graffiti could be and how they see themselves using it for our art grant. As this project is now part of their curriculum, they are required to create a portfolio piece on Clean Graffiti. Here is a small sampling of their initial research work.
Research by the students on the art form.
Next we started talking design ideas for the Clean Graffiti art grant. Every idea we heard was impactful, well thought out and meaningful to these students. We threw around the idea of pollution prevention and protecting the planet, making a statement that Black Lives Matter, and different positive thoughts in a more deconstructed form. We were blown away at how focused the students were, as well as how serious they are taking this project.
West Charlotte High School IB art class.
To sit back and listen to how this project has ignited a spark in these west Charlotte students is awe-inspiring. We always wanted Clean Graffiti to be used in a positive way, but to have first hand input on what will ACTUALLY speak to these kids is an incredible experience.
“Personally, I have taken this task seriously because we are not just creating artwork, but we are also inspiring positive actions from our peers,” stated Mathis Gales, one of the art students. His powerful words continued, “This task has been a huge blessing because this is our opportunity to give back not just to our school but our community as well. Our project has the potential to have an immense effect that will go beyond the walls of West Charlotte. . . Many people at our school don’t have someone in their life giving positive messages, and our Clean Graffiti project will provide that for them.”
Group talk about the Clean Graffiti art grant at WCHS.
Chatting with the Clean Graffiti groups at WCHS.
This project is turning into more than just a simple positive message campaign. It is challenging these students and hopefully inspiring a community. We are excited for the progress. Stay tuned for more updates in the New Year!
by thesavageway | Dec 10, 2014 | clean graffiti
#thesavageway won an art grant sponsored by Project Art Aid’s Queen City Soup. The grant is to execute positive Clean Graffiti messages/art around high-risk Charlotte neighborhoods. Upon winning, #thesavageway partnered with Project LIFT & West Charlotte High School to make a larger, more direct community impact. As this project unfolds, #thesavageway will be documenting their experience working with the students.
December 4, 2014
Last week marked the first meeting with the West Charlotte High School (WCHS) students. We joined Beverly Smith, WCHS Art Director, during her International Baccalaureate (IB) Art class. As stated on the program’s website, “the IB Diploma Program is an academically challenging and balanced program of education with final examinations that prepares students for success at university and beyond.” To say that these kids are talented is an enormous understatement.
Introduction to Clean Graffiti
We spent the afternoon meeting the teens and introducing the concept of Clean Graffiti to them. We explained how our use of this eco-friendly medium came about for #thesavageway (aka playing around with a pressure washer) and we showed examples of past clients (pictured here).
Clean Graffiti campaign for OrthoCarolina and the UNC Charlotte Inaugural football season.
Artistic Clean Graffiti campaign for Wine and Design Charlotte.
Two Clean Graffiti images for client MADabolic.
Next we introduced Paul Curtis (aka Moose) to the class. Moose, was the first person to ever do a reverse graffiti campaign. His work can be seen from San Francisco to London and beyond. His latest piece was in collaboration with Nissan Leaf, the world’s best selling electric vehicle. See video here. No one in the class had seen Clean Graffiti before and as artists, their interest was immediately peeked.
We also showed the class examples of one of the first companies to make sustainable advertising a business, Green Graffiti. When we first began our Clean Graffiti journey, GG founder Jim Bowes was an idol, that person we wanted to model ourselves after. Within the past year, we have been lucky enough to form a partnership with Jim and his team in the Netherlands.
Green Graffiti example use of Clean (or Reverse) Graffiti.
Green Graffiti example use of Clean (or Reverse) Graffiti for Starbucks.
Introduction to the Art Project
The students began questioning how they were going to be involved. We introduced them to the project and how they would play a pivotal role. The gist is to put down a positive, yet artsy, Clean Graffiti installation (in both English & Spanish) at each of the nine Project LIFT schools. We will also target a few of the walking paths around West Charlotte High School. Here is how it is going to work:
- Students are broken into groups and will work as a team.
- Design ideas will be discussed and sketched out for review.
- #thesavageway team will return to help guide the students in the right direction in regards to stenciling.
- In the New Year, the groups will present their proposals to #thesavageway then a winner will be chosen.
- From here execution of the project can begin.
- The IB art students will be present the day of execution at the high school so they can obtain that first-hand experience.
Thoughts from initial Meeting
We are BEYOND excited at the excitement and talent that these creative students exhibit. The fact that they are able to experience this new concept from the ground up is sure to be a wonderful learning experience. We could see their wheels turning and even brainstormed a few ideas on the spot.
#thesavageway team with some of the WCHS IB art students.
The initial goal of this project was to put down some positive vibes in high-risk neighborhoods in Charlotte, however with this collaboration, the opportunity has grown to making a direct impact in this community.
Stay tuned for the next blog when we return to WCHS to help the students in the design phase.
