Mural Project

The South Bend Museum of Art and the Juvenile Justice Center partnered to create a unique mural entitled “Homeward Journey” during August 2013. The project was a part of SBMA’s summer outreach that introduces artists and art processes to the community. SBMA staff identified the artist, provided supplies and helped to facilitate instruction alongside the artist.

Bill Tourtillotte, a local artist and Professor at Holy Cross College, was selected as the lead artist. To initiate the creative design process, the students contributed to “Homeward Journey,” engaging in discussion on how we accomplish goals and wishes in our lives; they were then led through drawing exercises by Tourtillotte.

The overwhelming response to the question: “what would you wish for or what would your goals be?” was “HOME.” The suggested imagery was complied into a collage by Tourtillotte and enlarged onto the building wall, with the students painting the mural.

Homeward Journey “is a collection of the wishes of 48 teens and one artist.”