Dearborn students provide the paint in Cultural Council effort

Students from Dearborn Academy in East Arlington are putting paint to the murals they designed to enliven the MBTA bus depot in Arlington Heights. Described as the town's first public community mural, the project is under the direction of artist and art therapist Tova Speter. Helping the student painters is a team of artists that include Anyahlee Canas, Leeann Love and Speter.

"The students at Dearborn Academy are the real artists in this project, even though they didn't realize it at first," Speter wrote in an e-mail Sept. 28.

"They have designed a thoughtful mural, are empowered by the process, and are in turn empowering the surrounding neighborhood to realize that the energy and spirit of community artwork is truly transformative: both for the space and for the people who will enjoy it daily."

Rain on Sept. 26 delayed progress, but those involved plan to be painting every Friday, from 9 {mosimage} to 11 a.m., for the next couple of weeks until the mural is completed, which may be Oct. 10.

The work included a community painting day, on Sept. 22, in which other volunteers from Arlington took part. Although that part of the project has passed, people are welcome to stop by and watch.

A dedication ceremony is expectedd to take place later in October.

Funding for the project was provided by a grant from the Arlington Cultural Council.

Approval and support came from the office of Town Manager Brian Sullivan and the MBTA.

Donations flowed from local Arlington businesses, RW Shattuck & Co on Mill Street (paint) and Panera Bread Co. (breakfast on each painting day).

The idea for the project dates to 2006, when Speter applied for a grant to do a public art project in Arlington. Progress toward realizing the idea began in phases.

Speter said she led a number of research and design sessions in 2007 with a group of high school students from Dearborn Academy.

The site itself, the MBTA bus depot, was suggested by Joey Glushko, who works in the town planning office. The MBTA approved the plan, acknowledging that the space could definitely use some sprucing up. 

"The students are the ones who decided to focus on the history of Arlington and did the research to learn that Arlington used to be famous for lettuce farms, that Uncle Sam was born here, etc.," she wrote.

The students are also the ones who are painting the mural, along with the help of the community. We had a Community Painting Day ... where  many locals stopped by to not only see what was going on, but also to pick up a brush and help us paint!"

Speter said she has facilitated numerous mural projects throughout the Boston area.

As the first public mural in Arlington, she said, "we hope it will inspire future projects to bring more color to the town."

Susan Murie and Bob Sprague contributed to this report.