As Fairfax County’s first mural program, Paint it, Fairfax has made its mission to showcase each community’s unique assets and qualities to enhance the County’s eight Commercial Revitalization Districts and Areas (CRDs/CRAs).
Fairfax County Planning & Development’s Elizabeth Hagg, Community Revitalization Section Director, and Jenee Padmore, Paint it, Fairfax Program Manager, work closely with each Revitalization Program Manager to develop a community survey used to identify themes and preferred artistic styles.
Once a site has been selected, the Community Revitalization team creates a Site and Artist Selection Committee, which includes two local stakeholders as well as a staff member from ArtsFairfax, to help determine the possible goals and themes of the artwork.
The Italian artist Pepe Gaka developed the inaugural Paint it, Fairfax mural, located at the Eileen Garnett Civic Space. He hand-painted this intricate work to represent the diversity of Annandale and the native plant species that are present in the Civic Space’s educational garden.
“It’s crucial to have community members on the selection committee because it ensures that the resulting murals are relevant to the surrounding community. We want to make sure that every Paint it, Fairfax mural truly reflects the values and identity of the people who experience them,” says Hagg.
As a result, the project managers get to hear the stories that animate a place or learn about the values and nuances of that particular neighborhood. These stakeholders are nominated by the corresponding Board of Supervisors’ office. They are carefully chosen based on their expertise and ability to gauge the community’s input.
“Their participation has been invaluable,” adds Padmore. “We have learned what the community genuinely cares about, and we have gained insight into the social patterns, history, cultural traditions, community history, and artistic styles that the surrounding neighborhoods wants to preserve or celebrate.”
The best view in Springfield just got a splash of color! Our new mural transforms The Springfield Commuter Garage’s Overlook space into a vibrant urban park. Come find your favorite detail and see Springfield from a new perspective. The mural was installed by Kelsey Montague Art. From this high up perch, you can see the second Springfield mural created by the Paint It, Fairfax program.
The nearby whimsical piece representing Lake Accotink was developed by Matt Lively and is a new focal point along Old Keene Mill Road.
Boasting over 50 muralists in their database, Paint it, Fairfax reviews artists’ portfolios and selects three finalists based on how well the artist’s style and past work align with the vision for the proposed project. Each finalist meets with the site’s selection committee and hears from the local stakeholders first-hand—a unique opportunity for the artists to hear and ask questions about the location and the activities that take place there.
The result is a bespoke work of art that reflects the local charm and character of the mural’s new home. To join the Artist Database or learn more about Paint it, Fairfax, visit https://www.fcrevite.org/paint-it-fairfax.
