The Art of Connection
The expansive, compelling murals painted by MATC alumna Tia Richardson throughout Milwaukee will captivate you with their stories. The communities that commission her art physically participate in the paintings, making these immersive works reflections of the thoughts and emotions expressed by a collective group. As a community mural artist, Richardson’s artworks have become a voice to convey various communities’ needs, providing healing and emotional uplifting. As a product of these communities, Richardson can resonate with their experiences. Richardson explained that the substance of the murals comes from three steps: community acknowledgment of their challenges, ways to make them better and imagining a brighter future as a result. “I’m trying to create a sense of togetherness, community and unity through my images,” Richardson said. “The challenges are only the first step. Where do we go from here? We figure out how to move forward by following the next two steps – ways to make them better and imagining a brighter future as a result.”
Finding community and purpose The Milwaukee native remembers drawing at the age of 4 with colored pencils. Now her work is displayed in several prominent locations around the city like the Milwaukee County Courthouse, Sherman Park, churches, schools, and other buildings and roadways.
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Milwaukee Area Technical College | Annual Report 2020
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