JCAHC Mural Project

In August of 2019 I plan to paint a public mural on the indoor walls of the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center in Overland Park, Kansas. My artwork consists of imagined spaces that myself and my viewers can get lost in. I would like to create a continuous, immersive space using paintings on canvas and mural installation. With paintings that continue from my canvases and full wall paintings I want to create an environment that as soon as someone steps up to it they get transported to a new, unimaginable world. Set in isolation these environments promote self-reflection and discovery. They create an opportunity for one to experience childlike wonder and to escape from the real world, if only for just a little while. The Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center is an ideal location for this project because of its large, open commons space. Having a large open space allows for a continuous, consecutive exhibition that draws viewers around the entire room. As soon as the viewers see this work, they are immediately transported to a space and environment they could not have believed existed in such a space. My vision is to use transparent, translucent, and opaque paints to complete the mural portion of the project. The paintings on canvas will be done in acrylic paint. These murals will be used as extensions of my paintings to bring the atmosphere inside each painting to life around the space. My inspiration for this project stems from Hayao Miyazaki's "Secret Life of Arietty". In this film a sickly boy visits his aunt out in the country and discovers a world of tiny people called "Borrowers". These tiny people must scavenge to find items for building their house, making furniture, and even eating. My vision for this project is based off the idea of Arietty's bedroom. Her room is full of flowers, herbs, and plants that are all much larger than she is. Every time she steps into her room it becomes a paradise that she has created to transport her from the outside world. Essentially, I want to create the same feeling in this physical space. Every time someone steps inside this "sacred space", if you will, they are transported to an environment void of everyday distractions or stresses. It is an environment where they are free to think, feel, and reflect. I believe this project would positively affect the community by encouraging people to experience something new. Everyone has a schedule and a majority of people work a full-time job. This space will encourage people to step out of the daily routine and their comfort zones to experience something new, or maybe even learn something about themselves. I would like to bring some excitement, wonder, and even mystery with this project. My art is focused on the idea of self-reflection through isolation. By stepping into this space, viewers will potentially have the opportunity to experience this sense of self-reflection through the wonders and mystery of nature.