Artist and muralist Richie Blanko of Detroit adds finishing touches to the April Arts Dearborn banner April 15 in City Hall Park.
Dearborn City Councilmember Leslie Herrick adds her handprint to the April Arts Dearborn banner April 15 in City Hall Park.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN – April Arts Dearborn continued in a banner way April 15 with guests lending a hand at City Hall Park, putting their imprint on a work by Detroit artist Richie Blanko.
The portable mural pays tribute to the late Detroit graffiti artist Jordan Vaughn, known as TEAD, who died in May 2017 after a fall through the roof at a Detroit art space.
His mother, Jenny Vaughn, a watercolor artist, founded the TEAD ONE artists in residence program, which is housed in Dearborn’s ArtSpace, in his memory.
“I have this residency program to help and give a platform to other local artists to help them further their art and show their art and that sort of thing,” she said.
The public mural creation was rescheduled from its original April 1 date, when high winds prevented its presence in the park.
Dearborn neighborhood liaison Mary Laundroche adds her handprint to the April Arts Dearborn banner April 15 in City Hall Park.
Blanko said the community April Arts Dearborn mural encourages visitors to add their handprints so everyone feels involved.
“It will be up here for the next couple weeks, then my belief is that they will be moving it over by the civic center,” he said.
Blanko said that mostly adult art appreciators have added their handprints, including a group of bicyclists touring the city’s murals as part of the April Art Dearborn activities.
“It’s been cool, it’s been fun,” he said. “Because my art form is kind of public and it is kind of hidden at the same time, and I love the reaction when I’m painting and people are like ‘Oh, this is what graffiti looks like when it’s being done.’ By the time it’s done, it’s going to be popping.”