Health & Fitness
Jimmy Longoria Speaks Out to City's Art Regulations
Jimmy Longoria makes his argument against needed committee approval for his designs.
According to traditional standards, mural work in the city doesn't happen the way Mentoring Peace Through Art would like it to. As a process that often times takes months, artists are meant to submit a design and have it approved before starting their project. Artist Jimmy Longoria, however, says that's not possible with his line of work.
"We design live, right at the wall," Longoria said, "just like it were a giant canvas." Mentoring Peace Through Art works closely with the building owners and community members of the locations he paints. Art is inspired continuously based on the children that paint, the building they paint, the patrons that live in the area.
"We cannot submit a design to people," Longoria said. "It does not engage the community." Mentoring Peace Through Art has a purpose in bringing neighborhoods together. To create a design months in advance would defeat the lively spirit of their entire message.
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"We know that our painting will be painted over," Longoria told us, "but in the interum it will deter graffiti and crime on that building." This live-action process cannot be approved by a committee.
