The DIA is working to make art more accessible by bringing it directly to your town. Charlie Garling, the Director of Studio Programs at the DIA, and Ani Garabedian, the Community Arts Coordinator, joined Jason Carr to talk about the push to create beautiful, personal murals in Southeast Michigan cities.
Garling said the program started in 2018 as another way for the DIA to help people have meaningful experiences with art. Their goal is to work with the community to create public art that reflects the interests and unique stories of each town.
One of their latest projects is a mural in Lake Orion titled “Enter the Dragon.” Garabedian worked on the mural with other artists and says the community is very proud of the dragon, since dragons are a kind of local mascot.
Garabedian said the large scale murals like Enter the Dragon can take around 3 months just to paint. In addition, the artists spend time working with community leaders and organizations to make sure they plan the perfect design and place.
Another recent project of hers included a mural in Clawson. For this project, Garabedian was able to work with a Clawson high school art teacher, and even involved local students on the project.
The program’s current plans are to reengage with some of the projects they had to pause due to the pandemic. Cities to keep an eye out for new murals include Utica, Berkley, Rochester, Detroit, and Wyandotte.
To hear more about the DIA’s mural projects, watch the video above.