SAFFORD — “I legally got to tag a wall,” Safford Vice Mayor Arnold Lopez said, during Saturday’s Community Mural Paint Day.
Volunteers filled in with color areas designated by artist Molly Keen in the mural on the north exterior wall of the Safford City-Graham County Library.
“One of my favorite parts of painting is the community,” Keen said. “When I paint with the community it creates a stronger bond with everyone, and then you leave a mark behind and people feel empowered. So it’s absolutely something I love to do.”
Keen’s design is railroad cars filled with books — to represent both the library and the adjoining railroad tracks — and she’s added plenty of small “Easter eggs” about Safford for residents to search for each time they view the artwork.
– David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central
Dozens of residents came out to take part in the two-hour Community Mural Paint Day, with most taking part right as things started at 9 a.m.
“We did expect a good turnout, we just didn’t expect it to be right at the beginning,” said Library Director Victoria Silva.
Keen has one more community project planned, when she hosts the Murals with Molly elementary art class at the library on Wednesday, from 4-5 p.m. The free event is open to children in kindergarten through sixth grade.
Then on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 9:30 a.m., the Graham County Chamber of Commerce and Safford Library will conduct a public ribbon-cutting for the completion of the mural.
