The summer of 2007, I took a position with The City of Atlanta, teaching 35 children art, which culminated in the creation of a collaborative mural. I worked at The Police Athletic League’s facility that mentors “at risk” kids through a boxing program. You walk into the city building that is long in need of repair and are faced with a boxing ring. It was almost surreal. I watched the children transformed the minute they entered the ring. The boxing instilled confidence and a sense of self. It was a beautiful thing to observe.

I used my observations of the boxing ring to teach the kids art. The temporary art studio was a dingy and uninviting room connected to the boxing ring room. In the beginning I wasn’t sure how I was going to get the children interested in making art. There was reluctance and general disinterest. I came back daily to perform my duties only to be frustrated when I couldn’t reach the children. I continued to watch them box.

In the mornings, when I arrived at the facility, the kids were usually dancing. I started joining in with the dancing which immediately sparked a connection. I brought my camera and photographed the dancing, and the boxing. I developed the photos with photoshop using different enhancement techniques. I shared the photos with the children and learned that they loved seeing themselves in action. We used those photos through out the summer session as a reference to paint and create art.

We painted boxers and dancers and ourselves. We painted a memory that reached far beyond the confines of that government building. I consider it a privilege and an honor to have worked with Dorian McDuffy, The City of Atlanta, and all of the wonderful staff and children at A.R.Williams Recreation Center.