The first installment of the Belonging Series facilitated the creation of five murals now located at the Goat Blocks Apartments in Portland, Oregon through artistic collaborations between students and artists. All five contributing artists selected an influential person who shares their ethnicity to feature in their murals. These historical figures fought for the rights of their people, advocating for justice and equality.

• William Hernandez painted the American civil rights activist and labor leader Cesar Chavez.
• Anisa Asakawa painted the Asian American congresswoman and activist Patsy Matsu Takemoto Mink.
• Jordan Domont painted the anti-war activist and veteran Ron Kovic.
• Kyra Watkins painted the educator and politician Shirley Chisholm.
• Jax Ko painted a stand-alone mural inspired by her experience as a Korean American.

Through conversations facilitated by the artists, participating youth learned about the historical contributions of these incredible political trailblazers, enriching the creative process and building a unique bond between the artists and students. The murals will remain displayed for years to come, memorializing the legacies of the featured individuals through plaques describing their incredible work in the world.

We are grateful to our friends at Killian Pacific for partnering with us to install the Belonging Series.  The murals are on public view at the Goat Blocks promenade located at 910 SE 10th Avenue.

Color Outside the Lines partnered with the Portland-based artist Salomée Souag to create a mural located outside the restaurant Hey Love in Southeast Portland. Titled “Togetherness,” the mural is the sixth public art piece to be installed in Portland as a part of the Belonging Series, and is the largest of the fourteen murals scattered throughout the city.

Salomée shared these words about the piece:  

“A mural that speaks to togetherness, bodies in movement sharing and balanced on each other expressing the spirit of community, care, and love. These bodies are also sharing their food and water to translate the message of unity even further. When we choose to care outside of ourselves and our world, we open ourselves up to shared knowledge, resources, and guidance. We can break barriers and boundaries society has set up for us, the false dream of everyone fending for themselves and climbing their way to an empty top. We can achieve so much more surrounded by true community. Together we rise. Together we fight back. Together we overcome.”

The creation of “Togetherness” was made possible by support from Regional Arts & Culture Council, NAYA Family Center, and Wonderfolk (previously Global Works Community Fund).

In celebration of Chown Hardware’s 140th birthday in 2019, Color Outside the Lines collaborated with artist David Rice to create a mural for the Chown Hardware building in Northwest Portland. David worked closely with the Chown family to create the imagery in honor of Eleanor Chown and her late husband. The doves depicted in the mural commemorate a pair of ornamental birds that belonged to the couple, and the vibrant red anthuriums are Eleanor’s favorite flowers. A select group of local foster and at-risk youth assisted David in painting the mural, providing the youth with a positive, creative experience and the chance to leave their artistic mark on the city. Completed during the Covid-19 pandemic, the mural serves as a colorful reminder to stay hopeful during trying times.

or the fourth installment of the Belonging Series, Color Outside the Lines partnered with Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District to create seven new miniature murals that were designed and painted by Latin American artists alongside youth at the THPRD headquarters in Beaverton.

The event was designed to celebrate Latinx culture, history, and tradition. 45 youth primarily from Latinx communities participated in learning traditional Aztec dances, making altars for Día de Los Muertos, creating music, and painting murals alongside the lead artists. Each of the murals told a story about how the artist connects with their world and community through art. Musician Joaquín López led youth in a songwriting workshop to co-create a Corrido song that was performed at the end of the event. In addition, the folk dance group Macuilxochitl facilitated several movement-based community building activities for those in attendance.

Participating artists included:

• Hector Hernandez
• Fernando Mendez Corona
• William Hernández
• Maria Rodriguez
• Rudy Redstone Serna
• Victor Bizar Gómez