Groundswell Helps Youth Send a Message Through Murals
It’s back to school season, so it’s likely you’ll be searching for some after school or weekend activities for your child to express their creativity outside of the classroom. If you’re looking for a program that is artistic, educational, free, and stands up for a greater good, then we can confidently suggest your kids try out the community mural project at Groundswell.
Groundswell is an art initiative that brings together artists, educators, and activists alongside students, teens, and young children to participate in painting murals that are displayed throughout NYC. The murals always aim to bring attention to larger social issues and are inspired by the ideas and motivations of the younger generations.
The group isn’t just about teaching children to paint (though they’ll definitely learn), but about showing young people how empty space can be transformed into an extravagant canvas with a political or social message. Or as the group describes it, “Transforming blank walls into sites of public dialogue.”
Founder Amy Sananman was inspired over 20 years ago to create an organization that combined artistic expression with societal progress. “I think there’s a lot of intersection between art and social justice,” she said. “It’s being able to imagine the unimaginable. The ability to envision something that doesn’t exist yet can be a radical act.”
Founded in 1996, Groundswell has since completed over 500 murals for various social causes and locations around the city. One example that encapsulates the organization’s work is Dreams and Aspirations, designed by 200 young adult NYCHA residents ages 16-24. The mural centers on the message that our future is our children, as is located at the entrance of a childcare center.
Another example is Bridges, a collaborative project between young artists and elders in Manhattan. The mural signifies the connection across different generations through themes of evolving technology and community. It is located at the entrance to the Saint Nicholas Houses Senior Citizens Center in Harlem.
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Several young artists credit Groundswell as introducing them to their love of art. Some even enjoy being a part of the group so much that they circle back and join again when they’re older. Angel Garcia, now an Assistant Artist at Groundswell, had that exact journey.
“I came back here after going to college to study illustration,” Angel said. “I just love the process. I love painting murals. And I love the challenge of talking to all different kinds of people and thinking of ways to visualize what they’re telling us.”
Isaiah Lindsay is a 19-year-old college student who’s currently helping to paint a mural that will be installed outside of the building where he and his family live. He has played a large part in designing the mural.
“The one we’re working on now is meant to highlight the injustice in the housing world,” Isaiah said. “A lot of what’s on here was my idea, but I really can’t take credit for everything. We’re a team and we hope that putting this on the building will make people think deeper about these issues that are still happening.”
Visualizing ways to communicate deep social messages is a tall task for a child, one that begins with learning the fundamentals of art and communication. Painting from a young age helps children assign meanings to different shapes and colors under certain contexts, which aids in the development of literacy and critical thinking.
Betty Bushwick, a mother of 3 boys, says that Groundswell has helped her sons to explore, interact, and engage more with the world around them. Her middle son, 7-year-old Xavier, was diagnosed with autism and hyperactivity, and painting has helped to improve his and his brothers’ understanding of their emotions.
“Painting really helps them to focus, it’s a calming activity,” said Bushwick. “We’ve started using color charts at home as a way to help them express their emotions. Red is angry, blue is sadness, things like that. Art is a healthy way for children to better understand what they’re feeling.”
Her sons agree. “My favorite part is painting the mural,” said Xavier.
And whether you’ve been a part of the group for years or you’ve just discovered it, Groundswell has a way of making you and your children feel like you’ve always been a part of this art-loving family. Many parents first discover the group either by looking online for family-friendly activities or through word-of-mouth.
Rich Jean is a father of two, 15-year-old Abigail and 7-year-old Hannah, who just discovered Groundswell a couple of hours before deciding to come check it out with his daughters. “This is the first time I’ve ever been here,” Jean said. “I was just sitting at home and I googled things to do for me and my daughters. As soon as we walked in, they treated us like family.”
He’s already positive that they’ll be coming back. “This reminds me of the old Brooklyn, the one where everyone was involved in the community and everyone wanted to make art. I would recommend this to everyone.”
