September 12, 2011 - 6:07pm

...I stepped down from that crazy little ladder one last time.

Bethany, (our latest recruit) turned out to be a Graphic Arts Grad - fancy that!  (Where SHE had been for these past 9 months....) and of course, our "core group", Liz, Bob Willard and Porschia, all made time to be a part of the final 2 weeks work. I can only hope that you all know the depth of my gratitude by now...that goes for Matt, Carol, Ginny, Sherry, Lisa, Tony and a number of "drop by daubers" too numerous to mention.  Simply said...this project wouldn't "be what it is" without you - ALL.

So, here are the "Final Four" of the 68-panel "Wall" to which a great number of dedicated people have lent time, energy and good humor - over these past 10 months.  Suffice it to say, without these people (and you ALL know who you are) and their passion...there would have been no "Project".  I can only hope that you take as much Joy in the creation of this most unusual and "meandering" depiction of the City of Hayward, as I do.



This is the first of the 2-part "Hayward Celebrates" panel (remember Mural Enthusiasts, we have been working backwards since Nov. 3rd - no comment) featuring the City Block Parties, Cinco de Mayo, the Tree Lighting Ceremony and last but not least, the Zucchini Festival...all Hail the mighty squash-

Panel no. 3 which feeds into (obviously, no. 4) begins the somewhat errant introduction of the entire theme - flying paint brushes, indigenous birds, iconic businesses and landscapes...a well as the street signs from which all of these fine "points of interest" hail...(how often does one EVER get to use the word "hail" twice in one blog post?)

Panel no. 2 bursting forth from Panel no. one...

and....Greetings from Hayward!

now get out there and Walk that Wall-

enough said.

It's all about the Volunteers-

What a week. So much to do and yet so few panels left to complete...how does this happen? Suffice it to say, now that we are "visibly" on Jackson, we're getting more and more requests/ideas for "Special Places" in Hayward. Re-designs, and a lot of Re-thinking later, I think we're on our way...however, "process" often "impedes" progress....so...

My brother Randy drives up from Ventura for two days of scraping and re-surfacing the last three panels...what a guy.  No complaints...a few commentaries upon whom I share the streets with, but hey, he's my big brother.

Tony, pictured right...this guy...

What can I say?  He keeps me safe from my own naivete and takes care of our work, panel by panel...making sure that there are 2 coats of a protective sealant following us as we move along...(personally, this really helps me sleep at night)  Tony...One in a Million...'nough said.

Melissa.  What can I say?  This gal showed up out of the blue on a precious day off and spent a good 6 hours with us...learning the painful truth of mural work:  "I've been here 6 hours and only have THIS to show for it?  It's impossible!"  Melissa, please know that your "only this" was a tremendous gift to the project...you are just as amazing as your "amazement" of what it takes to pull all of this together...Hope to see you again? :)

Sherry was back with us once again! YEA Sherry!   Balancing two jobs and the commutes required, she still finds time to grab a water and a sunhat and take up a brush with us...talk about a Team-Player...Thank you my friend...

Bob (pictured left) finished off the LAST of the Primer (PUUULEASE note the wooden fence at Bob's left...yes, he is priming the last (first) panel of the mighty 68!), while Liz and Carol (Welcome BACK!) dove in with smaller brushes (and for several hours)

Osea and Seini returned (PLEASE note how well-dressed and paint-free these two are...HOW DO THEY DO IT?!?)   Comon' you two...Liz and I are DYING to know!

And here they are "en mass"...it IS a Beautiful Thing....isn't it Hayward?  Well personally, I can't think of anything prettier...

...lastly, below center...panel no. 65.  Still incomplete mind you, but lookin' good and sure to be finished this week before I leave for a 4-day Art Festival previously committed to (sigh)  I've said it before and I'll say it again, these walls have a life of their own, and it is only our privilege to share it with them for a short (?) while-
Jean-out!

A MOST "Unexpected Guest"

Just when you think you have seen it all...quite literally, "out comes a most wonderful surprise"...note the "drain hole" in the Community Gardens piece...and how it becomes suddenly "animated"...this is too much

Can you BELIEVE this sweet little thing?  Here's the BEST part...some representatives from Union Pacific Railroad were visiting this day...and were they ever "smitten" by this guy...looks like something right out of Coney Island, doesn't it?  This was NOT "Staged" and no small terriers were harmed in the photographing of this blog...

Our first Mother / Daughter team!
YEA TEAM!
Sherry and Jen stopped in and whipped through the title piece of this panel in no time.  Once again, I think these people had a better time than they might want to admit...
THANKS SHERRY & JEN!!!

...and let us never, but NEVER forget Porschia...this gal never fails to "show up unexpectedly" just when I need her most...I have to say, we wouldn't have gotten a piece together for you tonight, without her efforts...Thanks again, my friend 

 Liz and Bob returned as well, and threw all they had into making tremendous headway into a most difficult panel.  As the one who had to do the portraits on this piece, I can never thank them enough for their kindness in allowing me time and space to "concentrate" while they forged ahead with the rest of the panel...

...so here it is (in progress) a tribute to the many "annual celebrations" sponsored by the City...while we were working on these two panels, oddly enough, a number of these festivals were actually taking place!  Talk about timing?!?!

Just a closer view of the "completed" half of this particular tribute...
Thank much my friends, for your continued love, encouragement and support...but seriously, wasn't it worth logging in just to see that crazy little pup with her head in that drain-hole?

-

details, details-

Whoooooooo boy!  Did I ever put one together THIS time!  (and these awesome volunteers actually came back to finish panel no. 62, The Hayward Community Gardens...)  THEY CAME BACK!  I must have been in a trance when I drew this one out.  Needless to say, you all have my "word" that this will NOT happen again - hmmmm

 ...and yet ANOTHER New Recruit!!!!  Welcome to the Team Mary!  (Can you believe this?  She actually plans on coming back!)  Love these people, truly I do-

At right, the return of Lisa D.  Who has discovered a latent talent for painting "Florals"  Get ready (- anyone on this gal's Christmas list...) and make room on a wall.  I think she has found yet another "calling"

Ginny (at far right in this photo) travels from Los Gatos to join in the creation of The Great Wall of Hayward. Today, however  tested her patience with Hollyhocks.  I didn't help by providing a different "sheen" of paint. (My bad)  Lesson learned though.."Flat's where it's At!"

The most dedicated talents of Bob and Liz returned as well - seen here diving into panel no. 63 "The Hayward Plunge"  Not to be overlooked, but missing in the photos, is Porschia, who carved out more than a few hours to help this accidental muralist get back on track.

So, here ya GO!  The Hayward Community Gardens...if you look close enough, you may even be able to spot  bug or two. (kiddin')  I didn't go quite THAT far...close though, very close

The Hayward Plunge is no. 63.  This large and iconic Municipal Pool  site seems to bring back fond (?) memories for more than a few Hayward residents.

At left then, ( and there's one in every crowd...) the person who is afraid of the water, and the one who's determined to get them into it...(personally, my brother comes to mind)  Thanks for the fun concept, Ginny!  Likewise, thanks to EVERY one who keeps this project in thought and provides so much encouragement...you know who you are.   Only 5 panels left to complete, my friends...5.  Stay tuned next week, as we take a look at Hayward's many "Festivals" - that's it, Jean "out"

...aaaaannnd - we're BACK!

Perhaps I need therapy ( it HAS been suggested) but alas, I DO believe that I have been "Wall-sick" i.e. longing for the Wall...
(it really IS a terrific place to "Be") - but we're back, the paint is NOT dried out and we actually applied quite a bit this past week - check it out!

Both Sherry and Liz were able to get out to Jackson this week and both contributed an enormous amount of creative effort. (Here we see Liz doing a bit of "detail work" to the main Library piece)


 ...here is the finished panel - note that it sports Hayward's designation as a "Tree City USA"


I decided to place the note here, as the Library has the most wonderful "collection" of trees on it's grounds...check it out (pardon the pun) for yourself sometime - they are quite uniquely beautiful in their own right-




....then of course, there is the ever-important "Transition" into the next panel (remember, we're working backwards here on Jackson...)  Wait, didn't ya'll know this?  We started at the end of the Wall and have been working towards the "Beginning" since last November!  Perhaps NOW you understand my mental "slippage" every now and again...?  I can't believe I never mentioned that this entire Project has been constructed "backwards"...it's either cool or crazy - YOU decide....
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And here is what I've been working on for the past two days myself.  Hayward's Community Gardens is the most surreally (word?) beautiful place....seriously.  A few more hours and you will have the finished piece - depicting but a smattering of the "memorable" scenes I experienced while walking and photographing these 5 acres of Urban Farmage.  It is stunning to say the least.  If you haven't paid a visit, do so NOW...not to be missed-
- as always, my thanks for your patience and ever-present support wherever you are...I'm feelin' it and so is this most awesome band of volunteers...say, if you're not busy some afternoon....why don't you swing by and...
 JOIN IN?  Love to have you.
Jean

Today is brought to you by the letter "B": Books, Butterflies & Bye Bye!

Okay, so I snuck in a few more hours this morning amidst packing for the Great Montana Road trip.  I just couldn't leave  #60 hanging like that.  Color me kooky, but I wanted to have a clean slate of 8 awaiting our brushes upon our return to The Great Wall of Hayward at the end of the month!  8 panels left!!!!        EIGHT!

So - here sits the "finished" Caspers Famous Hot Dogs Panel.  I just had to get my hands on that tree for a little while longer, so as to create a more distinct "leaf pattern"   Me "obsessive"? Me?



 

Then comes the dawn of #60 which is the 2nd half of a two-part panel depicting the Hayward Public Library.  See those Swallowtails from the animal Shelter?  well, they are emanating from the pages of a book being read to a group of children, by Library Staff.  As we move to the left at the end of the month, you'll see our depiction of the Library itself amongst all of those beautiful trees.

...and here's the finished product then.  Excuse the intense sun, but I finished at about 12:30 this afternoon and had to get a shot before heading out.  At least it gives you an idea...and yes, those ARE a LOT of "books" in the background!  So I guess we'll be closing up shop for a bit here and hopefully, the paint pots won't dry out.  That would be sad...very sad.  So, I bid you all Happy trails my friends - Until we meet again....(at the end of the month)         Jean

58...59...

What a week.  BEAUTIFUL weather, yes?!  So, no surprise that the A Team pulled together yet again, driving and BARTing in from Los Gatos, Berkeley, Chico and the local area, to complete another two panels and get about 1/2 way through a third....these people are far more beautiful than the weather we 've enjoyed these past 5 days-



Looky - waaaaaay down Jackson....THERE we are!



And NO panel has gotten quite the "treatment THIS one did - Welcome to the Wall, Caspers Hot Dogs!!!

Local Muralist, Ricardo Lazo,
joined in as well.  What a treat to have an accomplished artist such as he, join the team!   It just keeps getting better!

Meanwhile, Matt kept on the task of leveling upcoming panels.  We tried a number of new products as well as a few "creative application techniques" thanks to Matt and we DO believe we have found a way to make the efforts of these last few panels FAR more "smooth" than the last 59.

Wait....59?!?!?

So, here we have the "Community Picnic" panel, an expression of Hayward's fantastically "ethnically diverse"

population.

...and this panel would NEVER have been completed without the generous efforts of Porschia...what an amazing young lady.  ALWAYS "shows up" when you need her...it's like she's got some sort of Mural Zen thing going on...hey, don't knock it - she's THERE!  (here?)

...ahhhh at last, the Famous Caspers Hot Dogs - at home in Hayward since 1934...1934!?!

( I MAY want to play around with that tree just a bit longer though...hmmmmm)

So, I'll See ya around NEXT week my friends, when we attempt to bring the Library to life here with panel no. 60.

Stay tuned then, as the Great Wall of Hayward continues to expand and explode with both creativity and COLOR

Jean