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Created in the fall of 2015, Roc Paint Division’s mission is to beautify the city’s R-Centers through mural arts while providing employment and training opportunities to young developing artists. Now in its second year, three working artists lead the team of eight youth in designing and creating murals for R-Centers throughout Rochester. The murals are unified by their common theme of “growth”, chosen in part to acknowledge the major role that the R-Centers play in the lives of the young people who spend time there during their formative years. The project not only provided the young artists with work experience and the opportunity to broaden their artistic skills, it results in beautiful, uplifting depictions of energy and hope that glow like beacons from the corners of the community that they shine from.
Three of these youth artists have been selected to create a mural with WALL\THERAPY for the 2017 season. We are excited to have these three young talents join us!
Nzinga Muhammad
My name is Nzinga Muhammad, and I’m a 17-year old home-schooled 11th grader.
My art experience before this program was drawing; no painting whatsoever. My favorite kind of art would have to be drawing and painting, because of the exposure I have gotten to painting due this being my second year in Roc Paint Division. My second year I felt like I belonged in the group even more, because I am a returning veteran.
ROC Paint Division so far has been an avenue to express my artistic interests and expand my arsenal of techniques. Before the program, my knowledge on painting was very little and very amateur. Now, this being my second year, I have a better understanding of painting, and I feel that my skills in the field of painting have grown, and I am more ready to confront challenging murals. My individual pieces from last year compared to my piece this year is evident of a positive change.
My favorite thing about the program is our check-in sessions. The questions that are asked like, “If you could have any superpower what would it be?” are fun and interactive, and allow a conversation and connection to flow through your fellow coworkers. Being in the program has influenced my life by giving me a safe space to exist freely, while of course having a structured discipline at the same time, as this is still a workplace. It is an escape from whatever issues and problems I face outside of this building. I acquired more confidence as an artist, and generally as a person.
Outside of Roc Paint Division, I play the violin and participate in a mentoring program called S.T.A.R (Sisters Together Achieving Results).When I finish high school, I would like to take a gap year to travel around the world, and then hopefully go to college.
My advice to aspiring young artists would be to explore different mediums of art. I used to just draw, and it was only in black and white pencil. Now I have been introduced to paint and I use more colors, and my skills have advanced.
Etana Browne
My name is Etana Browne, and I’m 17 and a senior at World of Inquiry.
Before joining Roc Paint Division, I would draw on the regular and try different ways of art sometimes. Pencil drawing is my favorite medium. Outside of Roc Paint Division I’m not involved in a lot, but I do like to draw and do Art for my school.
After, high school I want to get a job either at a hospital or at a rec-center, until next year when I apply for colleges.
In Roc Paint Division, I learned how to spray paint and collaborate. My favorite part was doing the collaborative work piece with marina because it was fun and a good way to get to know your co-workers better. My experience with Roc Paint Division so far has brought me to be a little more diverse in my art style and to accept every piece of art I make as perfect. It also helped me learn to get close to people easier even if I just met them. As a project I feel Roc Paint Division would be a great way for youth to express their love for art by helping make murals for others in the community. What I liked the most about it was the fun you have working with others to brainstorm and create collaborative pieces just to get an idea of what to do for a mural. It influenced me to be more a part of the community and do art for others. I feel like being a part of Roc Paint Division is a very great creative learning experience to do more for the community of Rochester.
I would tell an aspiring young artist to keep going with whatever art they do and to not switch up for anyone.
Kaori-Mei Stephens
My name is Kaori-Mei Stephens, I’m 17 and in 11th grade The Harley School. Prior to joining Roc Paint, I would do visual art as hobby in my free time. I enjoy painting but also sketching with pencil. Outside of Roc Paint Division I like yoga, hanging with my friends and family, reading, tutoring peers, running. After high school, I want to study as a pre med student in college to then become a (reconstructive) plastic surgeon.
I feel great about working with Roc Paint Division to create these beautiful murals. I especially love that the main audience of the pieces are growing children, who will see them everyday and hopefully be inspired by them. I also like the program’s guest artists because I am exposed to new styles. I definitely have grown an appreciation for abstract art because of the guest artists like Nate Hodge. Since being at Roc Paint Division I have been inspired to create more of my own art pieces and sketch in my sketchbook more, and I have met students my age who also love visual arts which is pretty awesome. A few of the things I learned in Roc Paint Division included how to spray paint, (am still in the process of) learning to blend, and making stencils. I loved getting to know my coworkers and seeing their different styles of visual art, specifically through their personal pieces.
The advice I would give to an aspiring young artist is: Practice makes perfect, draw/paint what is important to you or what you love, acquire experience with different mediums outside of your comfort zone.
Photo by Lisa Barker