Help save the Smokey Brown Mural

A few weeks ago, a friend of the arts and culture in Columbus, Dan Dougan, reached out about a mural in the Short North. It was painted by Smokey Brown, and he was concerned about the piece and wanted to know if I could help find the mural a new home. I immediately reached out to artist Duarte Brown from Transit Arts, who painted alongside Smokey for many years. Duarte is a chronicler of Columbus’ East Side art scene. He has carefully assembled scrapbooks containing photos and fliers, and his personal artworks share some of the many stories that have helped influence his life and those around him. Through my conversation with Duarte, I learned that not only was he with Smokey the day the mural was created in 1995, but other artists like Leni Anderson and Leon Paige were there, as was the Shortstop teens. After speaking with Duarte, I felt that I needed to reach out to Shelbi Harris of All People Arts for some feedback and guidance. The four of us (Duarte, Shelbi, Dan and I) met at the site, looked through Duarte’s scrapbooks and discussed options with a local mason. That being said, we came to a consensus... The mural is an important piece of the rich history of art in Columbus, and it needs to be saved. In doing so, the piece will need to be moved to Central Community House, and restored. And this is where you come in... To save the mural, we need help financially. To remove the mural that is painted on a cinderblock wall, we need to hire a professional to guide our team of volunteers through the removal process. We will need to rent a vehicle that can withstand the weight of the blocks. We will need to pay a person skilled in masonry to reconstruct the mural. And we will need to pay local artist Duarte Brown to restore the painting. 2020 is the most important moment in our lives. Many of us are seeing our US history through a new lens. We need to preserve the legacy of Smokey Brown. In doing so, we will remind all of the artists and the children he influenced, of the importance of storytelling through art, the importance of creative expression, and the importance of celebrating Black Arts in our great city. Please donate to save the Smokey Brown mural. No amount is too small! We need to move on this ASAP! We at Transit Arts, All People Arts, Central Community House and The Vanderelli Room thank you for your support!