ALLENTOWN, Pa. — For her latest mural project, artist Monica Salazar enlisted the help of some young local creatives.
The 25 students — all from the Allentown School District — designed a nature themed fresco painting adorned with three bluejays, bright-colored flowers and two gleeful young girls, who are both cradling a bird's nest.
The mural, located on the side of a mixed-used building at 31 S. Ninth Street, was created by Salazar and the children last summer.
The group were part of the 60 children who attended the Fine Feather Foundation's summer camp, a nonprofit that works with area youth, ages seven to 17, and offers a creative safe space through after-school programs, camps and other workshops since 2021.
Salazar and some of the students attended an unveiling of the downtown mural on Thursday, June 13.
Also in attendance: Fine Feather Foundation founder, and president of the Allentown School District Board of Directors, Andrene Brown-Nowell; Allentown City Council President Cynthia Mota; Lehigh Valley Cultural Arts and Cultural Alliance director Sean King; Allentown Mural Arts Director Jane Heft and Dan Bosket, director Community Action Development Corporation of Allentown.
Flying free
In some cultures, bluejays symbolize protection and divinity, but for Salazars' students the blue and white birds materialized from a real-life encounter.
"I will always work with them. It's a pleasure for me and it's always going to make me happy."Muralist and artist Monica Salazar on mentoring young art students
During the eight-week design process, the children visited Camp Fowler in Orefield for a nature-filled field trip.
“The bluejay that you see on the wall, the students started drawing and sculpting the bluejays after they say them flying free at Camp Folwer,” Salazar said. “That was very nice because here in the city, we don't get to see those beautiful birds. You have to go to the countryside to see them.”
Amir Abril, 11, was one of Salazar's pupils.
Although he's not a big fan of drawing, Abril enjoyed creating the mural.
“The class was creative, fun and engaging,” he said. “I am definitely going to come back here when I'm older and tell [my family] that I drew that.”
Salazar, who operates Blue Bee Studio Art Studio in Allentown, has worked on other kids-related projects including a 2023 design with KidsPeace's outpatient clinic on Green Street.
“I'm so glad [for] the Fine Feather Foundation and that have that opportunity for our children [to create art]. We have to remember they are the future of our community,” she said. “I will always work with them.
"It's a pleasure for me, and it's always going to make me happy.”
Mental health mural
The Fine Feather Foundation was founded in 2021.
The mural project was a collaboration between the Fine Feather Foundation, Lehigh Valley Arts & Cultural Alliance, Community Action of Development of Allentown, The Chamber Foundation and Allentown Mural Arts.
Brown-Nowell, said the mural aligns with Fine Feather Foundation's mission of unity, healing arts — and support peace in the mind, body, and spirit.
“This mural is a mental health awareness mural, and we are all about healing through the arts,” she said. “For the students to take this trip to [Camp Fowler] Orefield and to spend the day disconnecting from all devices, disconnecting from everything, and just being able to explore, rest, and just be one with nature and to come back with this beautiful, amazing visual. They did such an amazing job.”
Fine Feather Foundation's 2024 summer camp begins June 17. To learn more, click here.
