“Thoughts Projected” is a public art mural that all of us (MYTURN, Positive Street Art members, and the Opportunity Networks crew) started working on July 7, 2025. As easy as it might seem, creating a mural is really not that simple. We started cleaning the clubhouse in Sheehan-Basquil Park, where we were doing the mural, so that we could be organized and that we could work in a clean space.
When all of our supplies were organized, we got to work practicing the shadows and highlights of a ball. While we did this, I learned that everyone views things differently. The people around me had a different view of the ball from their seat, so their drawings of the ball were very different from mine. After we tried this exercise, we learned a lot of new skills for drawing and making art.
For example, we had to draw someone without looking down at our paper. It sounds hard, and it was hard, but it was fun because it didn’t have to be perfect. Another skill we learned was to draw a model (Yaz, our art instructor) with different colors of chalk and without looking at the paper as much as possible. It was kind of hard, because not all of us knew how to do this, but everyone tried it! They all were pretty good; each one of the drawings had a little touch of the person making it.
After these exercises, we split into teams. Each team was responsible for doing different things: for example the ‘Site’ team had to create a flyer for the celebration of the mural. I personally don’t really know as much of what the other teams were doing as I’m a part of the Site team, but everyone was working together, doing something to prepare for the mural or to help our concept team.
When everyone was finished working on these things, some people started scraping anti-graffiti paint off the wall outside, working with and helping people with disabilities from Opportunity Networks. This was really nice because we were all working together. Some people were upstairs drawing and sharing ideas for what to paint in the mural, as well as sharing ideas for things that our team could add around the park to bring some extra beauty. One person suggested using yarn woven in the fences to make the park colorful. Our crew from Opportunity Networks also worked to design and create a mannequin made to represent the state of the park.
After this Yaz and other members started sanding the wall after we were scraping the wall for a couple of days. While Yaz and Dee were finishing sanding the wall some people started painting the wall and we actually finished painting the wall the same day, later that day we went to the Currier Museum and everyone split up. While we were walking around we saw amazing pieces. It was incredible.
I think everyone had fun and were amazed by these pieces. Now some of us are writing resumes and still creating ideas but overall I believe this was a great experience. I’m really happy I got the opportunity to work here with Yaz and her team and hopefully everyone else did.
Author Naiomy Davila Class is an intern with Positive Street Art.
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