Carpinteria Arts Center celebrates 10 years of the “Teen Mural Project”

Carpinteria Arts Center celebrates 10 years of the “Teen Mural Project” with event date set for June 12, 2018.

Gallons of dayglow paint await the creative hands of teenagers in Carpinteria, who will spend a free and fun day on June 12, 2018 helping to paint this year’s agamograph in the courtyard at the Carpinteria Arts Center.  

Famed local artist John Wullbrandt will be there once again as a mentor to those creating the mural, handing out bristle brushes and artistic guidance to the dozens of excited teens scrambling all across its forty-foot length and eight-foot height. 

Once the teens have completed their work, the enormous painted surface of the mural will be cut into large vertical sections which will then be pivoted and anchored at a 45-degree angle, creating this type of 3-D art.  The agamograph will be on display in the courtyard through the fall of 2018.  

This “Teen Mural Project” is celebrating its 10th year as an annual summer event in Carpinteria. It began in 2008 with a grass roots movement, “Carp Cares for Youth,” co-chaired by Marybeth Carty and Amrita Salm under the auspice of the Carpinteria Women’s Club and now with Carpinteria Beautiful.  The Carpinteria Arts Center continues the tradition of the mural with great support of and involvement from the community.  

In festive celebration of this 10th year and in anticipation of the grand opening of the completely renovated Carpinteria Arts Center later this year, the theme of the mural will be “Carnevale.”  Teens who come to participate should be prepared to get paint on themselves that day.  As well, they should be prepared to feel joy and pride all summer long seeing their artwork on display, including a formal “unveiling” immediately following the June 30thCarpinteria Independence Day Parade.

-Marcella Franklin