Interns Reflect on Paint for Peace

The murals we began earlier this month are finished!  Our interns, who came as part of Guilford College's Principled Problem Solving program, did an excellent job with the whole project.  They wrote up a review of the process, which we're sharing with you.  Click "read more" at the bottom to see the whole thing!

The reference photograph

The American Friends Sevice Committee (AFSC) partnered with the Guilford College Center for Principled Problem Solving (CPPS) to organize a community-oriented mural painting project titled “Paint for Peace”. The intension of the mural project was to raise awareness about the civilian cost of war in Afghanistan. There were many people who were involved in this project. Lori Fernald Khamala, the AFSC NC Immigrant Rights Program coordinator, took the lead with the logistics of the project while the AFSC interns, Hannah Swenson, Layth Awartani, Jossie Dowling and Courtney Mandeville took on the planning and implementation of creating murals. The Paint for Peace project was created as part of a national project that is based out of the AFSC-Chicago Office.

The project was pitched in February 2010 when the CPPS Scholars started their internships with AFSC. The following months were spent planning, designing and implementing the Paint for Peace project which was to be revealed on April 16^th at Guilford College.

The mural in progress: outlines

The majority of the painting took place at Guilford College during our community paint day. The day was spent at Guilford College painting murals with the Guilford College community, AFSC, the Pilgrims for Peace and Justice and the Dream Walkers. The AFSC interns designed four murals that depicted poignant portraits of Afghan civilians. Each mural was prepared by creating a “paint-by-number” instruction set. The day went smoothly with about 15 pilgrims walking through and 50 Guilford College community members cycling in throughout the day. Support from the Center for Principled Problem Solving and the Guilford community was invaluable on the painting day.

The murals were not quite complete after the painting day so the AFSC interns worked hard in collaboration with Guilford College artists, Gillian Galdy and Katie Maloney, to complete the murals by the exhibition unveiling, April 16^th.

The finished mural on display at Guilford College

The Paint for Peace mural opening was held in the Carnegie Room of the Hege Library on the Guilford College campus on April 16^th. The event attracted Ann Lennon, the Area Office of the Carolina Coordinator for AFSC, Bettie Knot the Southeast Area Office Director for AFSC, Kent Chabotar the President of Guilford College and many people from the Guilford College community.

Now that the murals are complete and ready to be submitted to the traveling national exhibit, they will be sent to the AFSC-Chicago office to join 36 other murals. These 40 murals will travel around the United States in a portable exhibition that will raise awareness of the civilian cost of war in Afghanistan.

            The Paint for Peace project was a perfect example of the great opportunities AFSC offers to its interns to lead campaigns. The AFSC Spring 2010 interns were given the chance to learn how the organization runs while taking part in a large national project. The Paint for Peace project showed the power of the AFSC community to come together and accomplish wonderful actions.

            The AFSC Greensboro Office murals are the first four murals out of the total 40 murals to be completed. Please look for the murals exhibition information in further post. The national exhibit will go on display in the fall of 2010.