Image
The Brainerd Community Center sits behind two prominent destinations, Brainerd High School and the Brainerd Complex, which feature tennis courts and a garden closest to the area's main artery of North Moore Road. One can access the Center by traveling around the tennis courts to the tucked away Center furthest from North Moore Road.
The City of Chattanooga and the Woodmore Manor Neighborhood Association transformed a large existing “silo” architectural feature on the Center with a mural informed by the community’s input through community engagement opportunities facilitated by a Creative Strategist. Creative Strategists are artists (or artist teams) who collaborate with City government by applying their creative process as a community engagement strategy in order to help guide neighborhood empowerment through public art.
Activities included creating a Facebook group page specific to the vision building of the mural, and distributing a virtual and hard copy survey asking area residents open-ended questions to gauge what aspect of the community they would like to see reflected in the mural; their perception of public art, how it may play a role in building their community, and the like. Creative Strategist, Erika Roberts of Velvet Poetry Productions, also conducted online engagement sessions with area elementary and middle school children utilizing prompts. Roberts and commissioned mural artist, Brandon Donahue, also collaborated on an activity packet and made it available online, as well as in art packets distributed to area students.
Artist Statement
Image
About the Artist
Brandon Donahue is an artist working in painting, assemblage, and sculpture revolved around memorializing and commemorating. Donahue received his B.S. from Tennessee State University and M.F.A. from The University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Donahue has exhibited nationally and internationally, including the 13th Annual Havana Biennial in Matanzas, Cuba in 2019. He is represented by David Lusk Gallery in Nashville, TN. Donahue now lives and works in Mt. Rainier, MD and is currently an artist in residence at the David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland College Park.
Image
About the Creative Strategist
Erika Roberts is a mother, grandmother, a poet and creator. Her artistry began 36 years ago in elementary school when she was introduced to poetry in the 5th grade. She noticed she had a great relationship with creativity as a means to communicate. Since then, she has become a humble part of the performing community in Chattanooga by creating shows to highlight the creatives therein. Erika is a successful workshop creator and facilitator under her production company, Velvet Poetry Productions, where she has performed at Barking Legs Theater, Bessie Smith Hall, The Hunter Museum, The Camp House, Lincoln Park, and Mercy Junction. She currently is contracted by Glass House Collective, in addition to performing in a monthly late night poetry show at The Palace Theater. Erika is also the recipient of the 2020 Chattanooga Business Elite's Best in the Arts Black Excellence award.