NOTE: This blog post was originally the feature article in our April 27th, 2017, Newsletter. You may read the entire newsletter by clicking here.

First Time Artists Inspire Seasoned Pros

CAW Youth Apprentices leave their mark on new DUMBO office of 72andSunny

A moment of reflection: CAW Youth Apprentice Teron Collins admires the finished mural in the lobby of 72andSunny's new Brooklyn office after the official unveiling. — *A moment of reflection: CAW Youth Apprentice Teron Collins admires the finished mural in the lobby of 72andSunny's new Brooklyn office after the official unveiling.*

This spring, our program partner and supporter 72andSunny commissioned Creative Art Works to create a mural for the lobby of their spectacular new Brooklyn office. CAW hired a team of Youth Apprentices to work under the guidance of visiting artist Mike Perry and CAW Teaching Artist Jessie Novik.

At the initial concept meeting, Founder and CEO Mike Boiler and several members of 72andSunny’s executive management team came to a consensus that the mural design should reflect the perspective of the Youth Apprentices.

*CAW Youth Apprentices block out their poses on the blank wall.*

Executive Creative Director Guillermo Vega told the Youth Apprentices, “Having your point of view could really be fun for us, to inspire us every day when we come to work.”

Over the next few weeks, Apprentices worked to develop consensus on a design that met their client's expectations. They sketched and painted ideas and discussed a variety of design concepts that would represent ideas of flowing energy, community, and diversity. At the design presentation, they offered their three best concepts. 72andSunny unanimously chose a design in which the Youth Apprentices would put themselves on the wall, literally.

The Youth Apprentices painted contour lines of their own silhouettes onto the wall and then filled those shapes in with designs from their sketchbooks. Some designs were representational, such as a field of chrysanthemums and stars in the night sky, while others had hidden meanings known only to a single artist. The result was a mural that expresses the individual voices of each of the artists, yet hangs together as a cohesive work.

“It takes working together to make a masterpiece.”

— CAW Youth Apprentice Maya Babb

The 72andSunny Mural Team: Visiting Artist Mike Perry, Alexander Snagg, Teron Collins, Maya Babb, Yadey Veloz, Frankel Summerville, Elsie Vidal, CAW Teaching Artist Jessie Novik, Kassie Sylla.

The video, “Wall Session,” produced by 72andSunny, captures the entire creative process in a few short minutes. Two CAW alums, Teaching Artist Anissa Hanley and 2016 Multimedia Team Youth Apprentice Kiara Hernandezinterned on the project. Click the link below watch.

In the Spring of 2017, 72andSunny asked Creative Art Works to create a mural for the lobby of their New York office. CAW assembled a team of Youth Apprentices to work under the guidance of CAW Teaching Artist Jessie Novik and Brooklyn-based Guest Artist Mike Perry. From the first client meeting, 72andSunny made it clear that they wanted the mural to be about the kids themselves. This video documents the entire process that transformed a boring blank white wall into a vibrant and dynamic mural befitting an international creative agency that designs socially responsible branding campaigns for everything from Adidas and and Samsung to Seventh Generation and Truth.com.