The ArtReach Mural Program
Ignite Creativity (Esteban Sánchez, Ian Stiles-Mikl, Isabel Halpern, September 2024)
Isabel Halpern
Director and Muralist
Josué Baltézar
Illustrator, Muralist, and Printmaker
Katy Yeaw
Mural Artist, Printmaker, and Blanket Designer
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Saturday, November 16, 9:30 AM
NewSchool of Architecture & Design
1249 F Street, San Diego
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The ArtReach Mural Program aims to foster meaningful social connections and transformation of physical space through collaborative mural making. It spotlights youth and community voice and 7+ working mural artist partners through large-scale, public, collaborative murals. The program is unique to San Diego and is one of the only organizations in California that works with and hires both youth (through the ArtReach Mural Artist Apprenticeship Program) and local artists to create transformative murals collaboratively, working with approximately 1,100 youth/community participants each year.
ArtReach aims to ignite youth creativity through visual arts expression and community connection. The organization emerged in 2007 in response to the detrimental effects of budget cuts on arts education. Today it engages San Diego County youth and communities in artist-led Visual Arts and Mural Programs at schools, community centers, housing spaces, and other community serving sites. The members of ArtReach believe art and creative practice play a crucial role in human development and are an essential part of education for all. Through the transformative power of hands-on and collaborative artmaking, their Teaching and Mural Artists inspire communities to harness their artistic potential and apply it throughout their lives.
Isabel Halpern
Izzy (she/her) directs the ArtReach Mural Program engaging with artist partners, youth participants, and partner site staff to bring large-scale community murals to life. After interning with Mural Arts Philadelphia and subsequently leading the first few murals with ArtReach, Izzy launched the official ArtReach Mural Program in 2018. Today, Izzy collaborates with our full roster of Mural Artist Partners to co-design relevant, engaging exemplary arts programs for youth, teens, and participants at schools and community sites all over San Diego County. She believes each project brings something new to learn and builds unlikely connections between people
Plaza del Sol (Josué Baltézar, January 2024)
Josué (he/him) is an illustrator, muralist, and printmaker who believes art should be accessible to everyone. He has led mural and multimedia projects with students across San Diego and has worked on 5 mural projects with ArtReach. As an immigrant from Mexico raised in Chula Vista, Josué understands the responsibility and privilege of using art to center and support important causes in his community. Josué cares deeply about social justice issues and aligns any project he works on with these values. Each project with Josué results in our partner sites feeling seen and represented. His ability to bring visibility to those we work with is shown through his deep care, extensive research, and love of collaboration.
Paseos of Rolando (Katy Yeaw, February 2024)
Katy (she/her) is a mural artist, printmaker, and blanket designer based in sunny San Diego. Heavily influenced by an extensive screen printing background, she describes her art as simple, bold, and cheerful. Katy holds a B.A. in Studio Fine Arts from Juniata College, and was introduced to printmaking at SACI in Florence Italy. She continued her advanced printmaking education at the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland. Katy’s greatest joy working with ArtReach comes from seeing pure elation on the faces of students as they quickly discover how a little paint on a drab wall can have a truly transformative impact. Art can be everywhere, and cultivating children’s artistic curiosity can illuminate a lifetime of creativity.
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PLEASE NOTE: You may enter NewSchool through the Park Boulevard entrance in the middle of the 700-block for direct access to the lecture hall. The event is free and open to the public, but a $5 donation is requested. Arrive early to enjoy refreshments before a prompt 9:30 AM program start.