GROW WITH US

A Community-Powered Mural Painting

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Recology Sonoma-Marin’s Wildflowers Community Mural 

Commissioned by: Recology Sonoma-Marin

Designed by: Artstart lead artists Justin Ringlein and Alina Nuebel

Coordinated by: Justin Ringlein and Alina Nuebel

Tutorial Videos: by Gio Benedetti 

Painted by: Recology employees, Elsie Allen High School students, volunteers, Artstart artists and Artstart apprentices

Installed by: Lead artists, apprentices and volunteers

Location Mural 1: 1309 Dynamic Street Petaluma Ca,

Location Mural 2: 3400 Standish Ave Santa Rosa Ca.

 

Start Date: October 2020

Completion Date: July of 2021

 

This pair of murals was created as a collaboration between Artstart and Recology Sonoma-Marin. 

 

During 2020, Artstart, like many organizations, faced a tremendous challenge to adapt its activities and mission to COVID-19 lock-down. The vision from the beginning was to bring as many people as possible into collaborating on the mural through “distance mural” kits.

 

Because people could not gather at Artstart, Artstart took the project to them.

During a visit to the Artstart warehouse in August of 2020 Fred Stemmler, General Manager of Recology Sonoma Marin, saw a poppy mural installed on a storage container. He stated “I think Recology just might need a poppy mural”. The company had just shifted into 100% employee owned with branding of “ Grow With Us” The seed was planted, brainstorming began and the project began to form. Lead artists Justin Ringlein and Alina Nuebel along with teen apprentices were brought on board. The collaboration of talent moved the concept forward to a composition of local wildflowers and bees. 

 

The design was finalized then painstakingly disassembled into over 500 parts to be distributed and painted by Recology employees, Elsie Allen High School teens, Artstart artists, apprentices and volunteers. This all took place during the peak of the 2020/2021 pandemic. 

 

After 7 months of painting the mural parts we were prepared for installation. 

During the months of June and July the two “Grow With Us” murals were installed. Lead artists mentored teen apprentices and volunteers on every aspect of installation. This momentous collaboration between Artstart, Recology and Elsie Allen High School was a conduit to connection and building community through art in challenging times. ​
 

Key Participants:

Recology Sonoma Marin 

Artstart Artsists and Teen Apprentices

Elsie Allen High School

Volunteers 

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