By Nicole Sandler
Northside News

The next time you’re turning the corner at the busy intersection of Aberg and Sherman Avenues — whether by car, bus, bike or on foot — be sure to note the brightly colored mural on the Dane County Job Center building. Or, if you’re heading into the Willy Street Co-op North, take a moment to admire the new art installation outside the store. These two pieces of art are recent additions to our Northside, and both stem from collaboration with local nonprofit Dane Arts Mural Arts (DAMA).

DAMA is a public art program that trains local individuals to become community artists and use mural making to beautify neighborhoods. The program is also making a significant difference in the lives of youth by empowering them to become change agents as they collaborate on projects. Since 2014, when it was first established by Executive Director and lead artist Emida Roller, DAMA has created 40 murals throughout Dane County, many of them focused on under-resourced urban and rural communities.

The Job Center mural project launched in the summer of 2018 as part of the City of Madison’s Safe and Thriving Communities Initiative. The idea was to engage youth on the Northside and keep them busy and productive through the process of creating large permanent works of art. That first summer DAMA artists held events at Warner Park and the Vera Court Neighborhood Center where they invited youth to paint and gather ideas for the mural. At the start of that school year the process was extended to Sherman Middle School and Shabazz High School. 

This past summer 10 students were selected to participate in the DAMA Summer Institute and paint the mural that was installed on the Job Center. The mural features a giant King Protea flower bursting through the rubble and represents diversity, courage and strength. The rubble represents hardships like violence, addiction, racism and housing insecurities. 

“The students learned that the process of creating a mural is just as important as the finished product,” said Roller. “The murals they create are fantastic, and engaging students and getting them interested in art is something that will have a lasting impact.”

The project culminated in August with a dedication ceremony and celebration. Funding for the project covered the cost of supplies, as well as modest stipends for the student artists, allowing them to view their role as a paid job.

In October many in the community attended another Northside mural dedication ceremony with ties to DAMA. The “Good Things Grow Here” mural was installed outside Willy Street Co-op North following several collaborative painting sessions over the summer involving youth and adults. DAMA artists then completed the finishing touches on the mural in their studio. 

The theme for the mural was selected through a Willy Street Co-op customer vote. The winning design acknowledges the diverse groups that have helped Willy North grow, the network of support among local organizations, and the vibrant food system that works together for everyone.

A bonus mural, not originally planned, was recently created through the same Safe and Thriving Community Initiative that resulted in the Job Center mural. It adorns the inside of the tunnel located under Northport Drive at School Road and is used by Mendota Elementary students to cross Northport Drive. For this project, Roller and her DAMA team invited a visiting artist to work with student artists. Lavie Raven from Chicago specializes in spray paint and graffiti art and shared his techniques with the muralists.

The Job Center mural project also included a guest artist — Eli Lippert, a well-known and prolific artist from San Francisco. In both cases Roller found that students benefited from interacting with artists from other cities, as well as with each other.

“All of the students involved in the projects got to know each other much better, despite coming from different schools,” she said. “They also learned painting techniques and how to blend colors, follow instructions, and work together. Maybe most importantly, they learned the feeling of celebration when a project is complete, and all have expressed the desire to do more.” 

The following organizations and individuals were involved in the Job Center and Northport tunnel murals and deserve sincere thanks for their generosity: City of Madison, American Girl Fund for Children, Evjue Foundation, Endres Manufacturing Company Foundation, Dane Arts, Dane County, Hallman Lindsay Paints, Jerry Butler, Eli Lippert, Monica Magtoto, Sherman Middle School youth, Shabazz High School art class, and DAMA Summer Institute youths, Gynarva and Simone.