In 2023 I partnered with Badia Lost & Found, an arts organization located in Lentini, Sicily. My goal was to do a mural project that would allow Italian teenagers to meet and interact with Californian teenagers and to execute a mural in one day. We were tasked with designing a mural that would have cultural and historical significance to the region. I found an image of a Byzantine stone carving which I translated into a line drawing and had a student of mine further color and embellish the piece. Once the image was approved by Badia Lost & Found they found us a location in a neighborhood that they were revitalizing with murals. On the day we arrived we were met by a group of Italian art students who were working on a mural of their own across from ours with a local artist. The students quickly became fast friends. As word got out that the American students were painting, an English class of Italians were brought by to practice their speaking skills. The art encounter went above and beyond my expectations. Both groups managed to complete their murals while exchanging lots of conversation and laughter.
