A Public Art Building Communities Proposal from Artist Julio Valdez
Takoma Elementary School, 7010 Piney Branch Road NW, Washington DC 20012
Takoma Taking Flight is a proposal to the Commission on the Arts and Humanities in Washington DC for outdoor school building murals. The project consists of five (5) murals of different sizes to be installed at the Takoma Elementary School, located at 7010 Piney Branch Road NW, Washington DC.
The designs for these new murals are based on the outcome of the 4th grade student engagement process undertaken in a previous mural project funded by the Color the Curb School Safety Program and recently installed on the ground across from the school, at the triangular intersection of Piney Branch Rd, Cedar St. NW, and 6th St. NW. The theme for that project was based on the school themes of Falcons and Taking Flight. The set of murals now being proposed will expand on that theme.
Two (2) of the murals will be on the front low wall, school fence, and concrete benches along the Piney Branch road entrance. The other three (3) larger murals are intended for the large exterior back walls of the gym. These are the walls that the school community sees daily when they come in and out of the building, to the left of the school basketball and baseball fields. Since the Takoma Education Campus school is also the home of the Washington Youth Orchestra, the themes of music and sports are integrated, as suggested by community members.
This mural project will be minimally invasive to the existing school structures, as it seeks to transform and beautify the public-facing entrance of the school along Piney Branch Rd, and visually connect to the existing ground murals.
Please sign your name in support of this project, so we can submit this letter with our grant application.
With appreciation,
Julio Valdez, Artist
@juliovaldezstudio
Updates
July 7, 2023
im currently putting together the formal package for the commission meeting and all your names are going right on the front page. seeing the support for these murals makes it so much easier to argue that the school really needs this color and energy.
July 7, 2023
the momentum behind these murals is honestly incredible and i am so pumped to see everyone getting behind this vision for the school. it feels like the whole neighborhood is starting to really see how much these colors and themes will change the space for the kids.
16 Comments
THIS LOOKS AWESOME. Great way to celebrate the neighborhood kids and the orchestra.
My kids go here and they would love to see some color on those gym walls. It gets pretty gloomy back there in the winter.
Love julio valdez work. This is going to look fantastic on the building.
I am a 55+ Takoma resident, currently the community representative on the LSAT. I have seen TES evolve through the years into the fine school it is today. TES is an arts integration school and the current home of the DC Youth Orchestra. Murals highlighting the school will not only enhance the appearance of the school but communicate to the larger community what A special place TES is.
Wonderful idea. Perhaps people will be made visually aware that the school is there and slow down. Beautiful design
Awesome
Good luck! Hope you all get a pretty mural and the kids enjoy it
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A Public Art Building Communities Proposal from Artist Julio Valdez
Takoma Elementary School, 7010 Piney Branch Road NW, Washington DC 20012
Takoma Taking Flight is a proposal to the Commission on the Arts and Humanities in Washington DC for outdoor school building murals. The project consists of five (5) murals of different sizes to be installed at the Takoma Elementary School, located at 7010 Piney Branch Road NW, Washington DC.
The designs for these new murals are based on the outcome of the 4th grade student engagement process undertaken in a previous mural project funded by the Color the Curb School Safety Program and recently installed on the ground across from the school, at the triangular intersection of Piney Branch Rd, Cedar St. NW, and 6th St. NW. The theme for that project was based on the school themes of Falcons and Taking Flight. The set of murals now being proposed will expand on that theme.
Two (2) of the murals will be on the front low wall, school fence, and concrete benches along the Piney Branch road entrance. The other three (3) larger murals are intended for the large exterior back walls of the gym. These are the walls that the school community sees daily when they come in and out of the building, to the left of the school basketball and baseball fields. Since the Takoma Education Campus school is also the home of the Washington Youth Orchestra, the themes of music and sports are integrated, as suggested by community members.
This mural project will be minimally invasive to the existing school structures, as it seeks to transform and beautify the public-facing entrance of the school along Piney Branch Rd, and visually connect to the existing ground murals.
Please sign your name in support of this project, so we can submit this letter with our grant application.
With appreciation,
Julio Valdez, Artist
@juliovaldezstudio
Updates
July 7, 2023
im currently putting together the formal package for the commission meeting and all your names are going right on the front page. seeing the support for these murals makes it so much easier to argue that the school really needs this color and energy.
July 7, 2023
the momentum behind these murals is honestly incredible and i am so pumped to see everyone getting behind this vision for the school. it feels like the whole neighborhood is starting to really see how much these colors and themes will change the space for the kids.
16 Comments
Great project for our local school. Hope it happens.
THIS LOOKS AWESOME. Great way to celebrate the neighborhood kids and the orchestra.
My kids go here and they would love to see some color on those gym walls. It gets pretty gloomy back there in the winter.
Love julio valdez work. This is going to look fantastic on the building.
I am a 55+ Takoma resident, currently the community representative on the LSAT. I have seen TES evolve through the years into the fine school it is today. TES is an arts integration school and the current home of the DC Youth Orchestra. Murals highlighting the school will not only enhance the appearance of the school but communicate to the larger community what A special place TES is.
Wonderful idea. Perhaps people will be made visually aware that the school is there and slow down. Beautiful design
Awesome
Good luck! Hope you all get a pretty mural and the kids enjoy it
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Great project for our local school. Hope it happens.