SANTA CRUZ — Local artist, James Aschbacher, is working with the 5th graders at Del Mar Elementary to paint a mural entitled, “Prehistoric Playtime.” The mural, completed on April 18th, was made possible by a SPECTRA grant from the CCSCC and money raised by the Del Mar Home & School Club. This has now been a yearly tradition for 6 years at Del Mar – each graduating 5th grade class painting a mural as their final school project.
Aschbacher has been an artist in Santa Cruz since the early ‘90s, and has been making murals at Del Mar Elementary for years. The result is a campus bursting with color, and scores of students who have made their mark in beautifying their school before they graduate — reinforcing the understanding of what it is to be part of a community.
Says Aschbacher of the project: “Working with Elementary School students to produce a full scale mural on campus is both a challenge and a marvel. I really want their individual voices and visions to shine in the art work, so I have them draw their own figures and also paint them on the wall. Real “Kid Art!” Each student creates their own work but is also part of a larger project – a community of talented kid artists! The murals not only beautify their campus but gives each participating student a sense of accomplishment and pride in their school. It’s a chance for them to make magic!”
The work accomplished by this and other SPECTRA grants goes far beyond a typical art lesson, in that the carefully scaffolded and sequential nature of the curriculum lead to a developed understanding of skills, processes, materials, and tools. Students have an opportunity to collaborate creatively, and the permanent public display promotes as sense of pride in their work.
About the Cultural Council: In its 34th year, the Cultural Council’s mission is to promote, connect, and invest in the arts in order to stimulate creativity and vibrancy in Santa Cruz County. Visit our website: www.ccscc.org.
About James Aschbacher: James Carl Aschbacher is a self-taught artist who lives and works in Santa Cruz, California. He developed the technique of texturing wood and illustration board with multiple layers of enamel paint, on which his images are drawn and colored with acrylics. Each painting has a wooden frame that has been hand-painted with mystical symbols. His work is in numerous national and international collections and he has recently been listed in Who’s Who In America. In 2005, he received a Gail Rich Award, along with his wife, Lisa Jensen, for their contributions to the Santa Cruz arts community. Aschbacher says, “Art is a chance to make magic.” Visit his website: http://www.aschbacherart.com
