Current Issue: Volume 4, Issue 2 (2024) Fall 2024

Acknowledgements

Artwork can transform a physical space by adding color or structure or sound in whatever form it may take. When art is not only accessible in a community, but a product of that community, it has the potential to improve the relationships and wellbeing of the community- ty members (Bublitz et al., 2019). Collaborative artmaking integrated in community practice serves also as a transformative learning experience enriching understanding and fostering growth in undergraduate students.

In spring 2023, the Georgia College & State University mural painting class partnered with the Central State Hospital forensics unit on a groundbreaking collaborative art project. Led by Christina Mansfield, the unit’s Communications Specialist, the initiative began with a comprehensive site visit to explore the project’s potential and scope. Students engaged in a dynamic design process, employing pencil sketches and digital tools like iPads and Procreate to develop a collective artistic vision.

The creative approach emphasized collaborative design, with students progressing from individual brainstorming to integrated sketching. Participants merged their diverse perspectives into composite designs, which were then critically evaluated and selected through a collaborative voting process with Central State staff. The resulting mural—an 8 ft by 10 ft installation divided into 16 individual 2 ft x 2 ft panels—would be situated in a prominent hospital hallway.

Art department resources and Central State’s contributions formed the project’s material foundation. Paint came from the university’s painting class, while plexiglass panels were provided by the hospital. The project spanned three painting classes, with each group responsible for specific stages: initial grid-based design, color preparation, and strategic partial painting that intentionally left space for Central State participants to complete the artwork.

The project’s final phase saw individuals from Central State, alongside their art therapy teachers and staff, completing the collaborative mural. Ms. Mansfield orchestrated a community unveiling that showcased not just an artwork, but a powerful testament to creative collaboration across institutional boundaries.

Valerie Aranda
Professor of Art, Drawing, and Painting