The Rockwell Museum is pleased to unveil the design of a new mural coming to Corning’s North Side. Led by Museum educators, students of the Corning-Painted Post High School Learning Center (HSLC) are working with Teaching Mural Artist, Betsy Casañas, to collaboratively design a mural inspired by the Museum’s collection. This 13th mural of the annual Alley Art Project will be located on the south building façade of Pudgie’s Pizza (61 Bridge Street in Corning). The project has been approved for funding by the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as continued regional support from The Triangle Fund. A student exhibition featuring student artwork and the mural design will be on view at the Museum starting June 16.
“Public art has the power to extend beyond the physical museum walls and into the environments of public spaces,” says Youth and Family Programs Educator Amy Ruza, the project lead on behalf of the Museum. “It can provoke dialogue, engagement, interaction and reflection about important issues in the world and our local community.”
Ruza continues, “I believe the arts have the power to heal and unite us, especially during the pandemic! It’s been a very challenging time, but we are persevering and facing adversity with creative self-expression.”
Each year, artworks and themes from The Rockwell’s collection serve as inspiration for the mural design. Through a mix of in-person and virtual classes with Besty Casañas, Amy Ruza, and Dave Quackenbush, HSLC Lead Teacher, students studied Diné (Navajo) textiles. Diné textiles are known for their unique use of color, border designs and geometric patterns that often interpret the geography and beauty found in the landscapes of the Southwestern United States. Diné artists explore the Hózhó concept in their work which loosely translates to the idea of “living in beauty.”
Thinking about life as a tapestry, students were asked to think about their past, present and future, and designed mandalas that focus on the importance of process, growth and transformation. They used symbols to represent various aspects of their lives that have impacted or played a part in who they are today. Besty Casañas then transformed the individual works into a larger, cohesive mural, which will span the 75-foot wall outside of Pudgie’s Pizza. The final design features a large, abstracted loom, weaving a mess of threads into an intricate tapestry. The woven loom symbolizes the process and journey that people encounter in their lives with aspects that may be more layered and complex than what is visible at first glance.
The design incorporates the series of mandalas that symbolically illustrate the High School Learning Center (HSLC) students’ individual stories and dreams. When woven together, they are reflective of our unique region and community in Upstate New York. The completed mural will incorporate the original student-painted mandalas that will be visible to public audiences as they walk down the alleyway for an immersive downtown experience.
“Once the students understood the idea of how to use symbolism to tell their story, it was really beautiful to see how open they were in exploring this genre and how excited and thoughtful they were about the mandalas they designed,” Casañas. “It’s also empowering, I think, for the students once they understand they can explore difficult themes through art, like love, trauma, family, hopes and dreams, without being explicit. They can choose to share as much or as little as they feel comfortable, and that is okay. I am so excited about how intricate, detailed and vibrant the project will be. This has been a really empowering experience so far, and the students made it easy to create a beautiful mural in collaboration with their work.”
Betsy Casañas is a Latina visual and public artist, educator, community activist and organizer who has created over 50 murals worldwide. She is a 20-year participant in the Philadelphia Mural Arts program, director of A Seed on Diamond Gallery and founder of Semilla Arts, a grassroots initiative that uses art as a catalyst for social change, and artistic collaboration as a means of inspiring individuals and strengthening communities. Casañas focuses her work on empowering community, transforming public spaces, awakening local talent and highlighting unsung stories through collaborative art projects.
Betsy Casañas will travel to Corning again this summer to begin painting alongside HSLC students on August 9. A community ribbon cutting will be held on Thursday, August 19, weather permitting.
This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and The Triangle Fund. To learn more about the impact of these organizations, please visit www.arts.gov and www.trianglefund.org.
About the Alley Art Project
For over a decade, Rockwell Museum educators have been partnering with the High School Learning Center of the Corning-Painted Post Area School District to create stunning student-designed and painted murals that use The Rockwell’s art collection as inspiration. Students work under the direction of Rockwell Museum education staff and guest artists in the creation and painting of each mural. The Alley Art Project embraces start-to-finish, project-based learning initiatives. Students earn credits toward their high school diploma during the time spent with Rockwell educators, all while cultivating a sense of pride, ownership, and connection to the community. Learn more at rockwellmuseum.org/alley-art
About The Rockwell Museum: A Smithsonian Affiliate
The Rockwell Museum, in association with the Smithsonian Institution, collection tells the story of the American experience through a display of stunning art about America. Founded in 1976, The Rockwell is an evolving community center which showcases the best of America through compelling exhibitions and imaginative programs. The diverse collection includes a mix of contemporary Native American art with traditional bronze sculptures, landscape paintings and other works that embody America. Housed in the beautifully restored 19th century Old City Hall building, The Rockwell is active in the local community and holds special events and educational programming with area public schools. The Rockwell provokes curiosity, engagement and reflection about art and the American experience.
Learn more at www.rockwellmuseum.org, and follow on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
The Rockwell Museum’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
