Paint with Philadelphia Artist Jonathan Laidacker in This Fall's Mural Arts Course
(Delaware and Chester Counties, PA • July 2, 2014)—Renowned Philadelphia-based muralist Jonathan Laidacker will teach a mural painting class at Delaware County Community College this fall. The course is open to both seasoned and novice artists and promises to enthrall students as they collaborate to create their own mural on the College’s Marple Campus. Registration ends August 27. Space is limited.
ART 101 Mural Painting will be offered on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. beginning September 2. The three-credit course does not have any prerequisites and is open to anyone, regardless of major or prior art experience. This is the fourth time the College is offering the course, and three class-produced murals are already on display in the College’s Academic Building. In addition to collaborating on a project, students will examine contemporary mural painting through theory and practice and understand how it plays a role in public art.
“The process of painting the mural will be structured so that even someone who has never picked up a paintbrush before will be able to not only participate in the mural's creation, but also understand how to develop basic principles of composition, color theory, perspective and proportion,” says Laidacker. “Teaching a more structured class on the history and process of mural making is something that I’ve had a growing interest in. I'm excited to have this experience in sharing what I've learned about a practice that I’m passionate about.”
Laidacker’s journey into mural painting began in Pittsburgh in 2004. In 2005, he moved east after learning that Philadelphia is not only the City of Brotherly Love, but also the City of Murals. He became a member of the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, the largest public art program in the United States, and was accepted into the Master of Fine Arts program at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. He completed his degree in 2007.
“I’ve enjoyed being a community muralist not only for the artistic process, but also for how the job encompasses equal parts project manager, social worker and construction worker. No two projects are ever the same and a new experience is always waiting,” he says. His work has taken him all over the city, and he’s painted with everyone from children to inmates.
With more than 19 large-scale public murals in Philadelphia, many residents are familiar with Laidacker’s work whether they realize it or not. He served as the lead muralist for “How Philly Moves,” the 85,000-square-foot mural that encases the Philadelphia International Airport parking decks near Interstate 95. It is considered the largest community mural ever created by the Mural Arts Program and was recognized as one of the nation’s best public art projects in 2012 by Americans for the Arts. Ladiacker’s work also graces The Church of Philadelphia, the 52nd Street Theatre and other locations around the city.
To register for the course, visit: www.dccc.edu/mural-painting.
Contact: Michelle Tooker, Assistant Director of PR & Publications, 610-359-5276
