Girl Wonder
Girl Wonder (detail), CAW’s new mural at the Louis D. Brandeis High School Campus
Dreaming of a Better Community
"Girl Wonder" is the fifth Creative Art Works mural at the Louis D. Brandeis High School Campus, including another exterior mural and three interior murals, so this project feels something like a homecoming.
“Girl Wonder” is a mural about how the dreams of one person can draw inspiration from a community and, at the same time, contribute to that community. Starting on the left edge of the mural, a young girl blows soap bubbles at sunset. The bubbles drift through the night, filled with dreams such as her sweet-sixteen birthday, graduating from high school, and making friends both virtually and in real life. The bubbles grow larger as they progress towards daybreak on the right edge of the mural and begin to include images of a wider world, including a cozy apartment, the skyline of Manhattan, and scenes from Central Park. Three figures at the far end of the mural fit together jig saw puzzle pieces, representing the fact that everybody has something to contribute to the greater community. Nurtured by her family, friends, and school, the personal desires of the girl blossom into collective ambitions.
The Grand Unveiling
For over a month, passersby watched “Girl Wonder” grow like a shimmering, iridescent bubble, but on the morning of August 16th, 2023, the wall was covered with a paint-splotched plastic drop cloth. Youth Apprentices and Teaching Artists blew soap bubbles, creating a light-hearted and festive environment. After a brief countdown, the drop cloth was pulled down to reveal a magnificent allegorical mural about the importance of asperations, education, and community.
The unveiling was witnessed by nearly 100 people. Gale Brewer, New York City Council Member for the 6th District, spoke to the Youth Apprentices who had worked for weeks to create this inspiring work of public art, saying, “What's exciting about this is that people from the neighborhood, guests, tourists, students, and graduates, are going to come by and feel so good about Brandeis High School because of this phenomenal mural."
City Council Member Gale Brewer with CAW Executive Director Karen Jolicoeur and CAW Board President Brian Ricklin at the unveiling of “Girl Wonder.”
“You know what’s the most important thing about New York City? Art! Museums, music, theater, everything to do with the arts. And that’s another reason why this mural is so supportive of the community and of you, because it says, ‘We understand the importance of art.’ It is something in our DNA, in our hearts, and in our emotions. We can’t live without art, and you are helping us to have a better New York City!”
The unveiling of “Girl Wonder” was covered in the local newspaper The West Side Rag.
Meet the Team
Several of the Youth Apprentices who worked on “Girl Wonder” are current students at one of the four high schools on the campus. Teaching Artist Assistant-in-Training Sydney Lasomser is a past graduate! These connections to the school and surrounding community inform the robust youth-created design, which welcomes passersby to contemplate the positive development possible within the building.
Back row, left to right: Adan A. Arellano, Namory Karamoko, Fabian Justin Cajigas, Yotzin Reyes, Jaylen Brown, Eric Lopez, Teaching Artist Mon Iker.
Front row, left to right: Treasure Jackson, Lorenzo Vergara, Nicole Reyes, Teaching Artist Assistant Sydney Lasomser, Teaching Artist Abby Walsh, Zeniya Hayes, Nur Malik, Anastasia Aikens, Maria Marquez, Ethan De Los Santos, Israel Robinson
In Their Own Words
This short documentary by the Girl Wonder Team captures the experience of working on a CAW mural though the voices and perspectives of the Youth Apprentices and Teaching Artists who made it.
What Community Means to Us
“I want somebody to come here and think, ‘I want to take a picture in front of this!’ because who could just walk pass something as colorful and as beautiful as this? We all put a lot of ourselves into this mural, so we want people to enjoy it and take pictures and post them on Instagram. We’re a digital society, so that’s what’s important to me.”
CAW Youth Apprentices Eric Lopez and Tynasia Culver
“I hope people see community and diversity in this mural. We all like watching people walk by and tell us we’re doing a great job and that we’re making the community a more beautiful place. That’s enough for me.”
“This is my second year with CAW. Last year was extremely hard for me because my mom passed away in the middle of the summer. My mom was one of my biggest supporters and motivators. I continued the program last year in memory of her. This year, I hope to make a new beautiful piece of art knowing she’s watching over me. This experience taught me teamwork and to speak up for what you want. It also gave me a sense of community. ”
Read bios by all the Youth Apprentices in the commemorative brochure on ISSUU.
Our People
Girl Wonder Team
Abby Walsh, Teaching Artist
Mon Iker, Teaching Artist Assistant
Sydney Lasomser, Teaching Artist Assistant-in-Training
Riki Sabel, Program Manager
Staff
Karen Jolicoeur, Executive Director
Ellen Seltzer, Director of Finance and Administration
Ivory Nunez-Medrano, Program Manager | Teaching and Learning
Donna Manganello, Program Manager
Riki Sabel, Program Manager
Madeline De Leon, Program Associate
Clair Vogel, Development Manager
Scott Lucas, Marketing & Communications Manager
Jill Goldstein, Office Manager
Board of Directors
Brian Ricklin, President
Andrew D. Levin, Chairman
Steven Soutendijk, Treasurer
Julia Sanabria, Secretary
Mosely Chaszar
Neil Goldmacher
Gail Holcomb
Cary Levy
Angela Pennyfeather
Andrew Stern
Tiffany Theriault
Janet Woods
Our Thanks...
Creative Art Works’ Public Art Youth Employment program receives support from the Milton & Sally Avery Arts Foundation, the Leroy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation, the Find Your Light Foundation, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the Department of Youth and Community Development, and the Office of the Manhattan Borough President.
