an Art Save a City?
he proof is on the walls. Larger than life Mariachi and Marvel character le issues still plaguing our cities. intricate metal sculptures in residential areas, and the transformation
ormer KKK building in the North Side all hint to something big ing in this part of Fort Worth. North Side has become a place artists osing to stay and live (see Crecencio Parra's story page 15.) The low living, compared to other parts of the DFW, combined with the rich and artistic inclination of this community, makes the Far Greater ide ripe for artists to live and create.
fforts are being made to attract creatives to 'newer' big-money pments happening in the district, artists have other plans. Creatives osing smaller businesses and causes in often ked and neglected corners. Artists like Juan uez are also teaming up with local high school s to change the narrative through art. My 's Keeper is an organization whose aim is to a sense of place for high school students.
Can Art Save a City? tackle issues still plaguing our cities.
for it. The proof is on the walls. Larger than life Mariachi and Marvel character murals, intricate metal sculptures in residential areas, and the transformation of the former KKK building in the North Side all hint to something big happening in this part of Fort Worth. North Side has become a place artists are choosing to stay and live (see Crecencio Parra's story page 15.) The low cost of living, compared to other parts of the DFW, combined with the rich cultural and artistic inclination of this community, makes the Far Greater North Side ripe for artists to live and create. While efforts are being made to attract creatives to 'newer' big-money developments happening in the district, artists have other plans. Creatives are choosing smaller businesses and causes in often overlooked and neglected corners. Artists like Juan Velazquez are also teaming up with local high school students to change the narrative through art. My Brother's Keeper is an organization whose aim is to create a sense of place for high school students.
om one stage of life to the next. Initiatives like lp battle high school drop-out rates for students n’t have the support of chapters like this. Gerardo ares that while North Side does not have a female , My Sister's Keeper does exist in other high around the city.
sked about the mural project of Namor (the new character in Black Panther's Wakanda Forever that was painted on the wall of Monterrey n Grocery Store in North Side's 28th St, Gerardo ed, "Every year, the students have a day of such as toy drives, food drives, etc. This year we t, why don’t we do something bigger that will be for a long time? Originally, the students wanted lves in the mural with an iconic image there with After a while, they decided to dive into their own ounds and where they come from. The majority om Mexican families and Black families."
nterview with Sammy Ramos, a student and vicent of the North Side High School MBK chapter, he that he has never been part of anything like that, g to the large mural he and others helped to paint he direction of artist Juan Velazquez. When bout working with a professional artist like Mr. uez, Sammy Ramos says,"He was nice, he had fun , but he was all about business at the same time. very organized. We had fun." As for the subject of the mural, Sammy shares that having an ous figure in the Marvel universe is such a huge lishment. "The majority of people from the North e from indigenous descent. I want people to look mural and ask themselves, what's my background? my culture?" Mr. Ramos sees the mural of Namor mbol of strong leadership within our communities, ds that we need stronger leadership.
Drive on over to River Oaks and you'll discover that this part of town is changing. One of the more colorful additions may look familiar, with its yellow brick road leading to a Fort Worth skyline. Trista Morris is the artist behind this large mural painted on the walls of local business, Boulevard Brew located at 5406 River Oaks Blvd, River Oaks, TX 76114. Trista is part of a wave of North Texas artists who has been at the helm of a visible transformation happening all around the metroplex. Trista's many interests and talents are on display not only through visual art, but through music, often collaborating her vocal talents with musician Matthew Broyles. As Trista puts it, "my work is brightly colored, I use what I like to call "technicolor". I prefer it that way. It floods a room full of joy. Usually I have a story behind the art in making. I'm illustrating a memory, a feeling, an experience." Currently, Trista is focused on artists well-being and creating a culture of abundance rather than competition between creatives. "I believe that in spite of whomever gets the opportunity, we should all be doing our absolute best to go to each other's shows and support one another."