The following is courtesy of guest contributor, Eileen Turan, adjunct faculty member in the Department of Art and Donaghey Scholars program administrator.

When Allan Benson, the Young Adult Programmer at Fletcher Library, requested volunteers for their Summer Reading Group, I was excited to participate on behalf of UALR’s art department. Infamous street artist Banksy was the inspiration for a stencil project open to all ages.

About a dozen children, teenagers, and young adults participated in the afternoon stencil art session. First, each person posed in front of a large sheet of paper. Using a projector, we traced their shadows onto the paper, then we cut them out to make a life-size stencil. Once the stencil was made, the participants took the paper outside and affixed it to the building, sidewalk, or parking lot of the library. Using temporary washable spray-chalk and their stencils, they created silhouettes of themselves in bright colors and various creative poses.

The activity encouraged participants to realize that art is not confined to a canvas on the wall in a museum. By incorporating their own image, they felt as though they were really a vital part of the project. Like Banksy and other street artists, they made an art that was accessible to all people because it is part of the environment.

The most rewarding part of this experience was the enthusiasm of the children who took great pride in their projects. They were excited to pose for pictures and requested to keep their life-size cutouts. They also eagerly helped one another, getting spray chalk on their hands, feet, hair, and clothes! I applaud the library for supporting creative programming that challenges kids to think (and spray!) outside the box.