"Amazing Phases" 

By Lavie Raven

Last fall when I received a message from WOW about possibly doing a mural in Wittenberg.  WOW reached out to me after talking with Alicia Rheal, another muralist who had done previous works for the WOW.  Alicia and I collaborated on a mural project for the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Zion City church two summers ago.  Alicia and I hit it off immediately--exchanging experiences and knowledge between my approach to aerosol artistry, and Alicia's mastery as a brush artist.  I knew that anyone Alicia had worked with would have a great vibe.  I was told that Wittenberg was looking to have a graffiti oriented mural for the town and sent the pictures of the garage doors which would serve as the canvas.  I was really excited to return to Wisconsin, and especially to join the cohort of artists that had brought their distinct creative approaches to the murals of Wittenberg.

WOW and I kept in touch for about six months, touching base about ideas and dates for visiting.  When I first came and met with WOW in May, we talked about the mural concept.  I had done many nature based murals before, and there seemed to be a strange theme arising in the summer engagements of 2017.  I had just finished painting mini-murals for the community garden affiliated with our school, and another organization wanted me to paint some new nature murals on the south side of Chicago.  While talking we hit on the concept of the butterfly metamorphosis, and I also wanted to do a night cosmos scene featuring silhouettes of animals in the area. 

I brought two of my children back with me for the painting of the butterfly wall and the cosmos scene.  The mural is all spray-paint detailed, reflecting the artistic medium that comes with being a graffiti writer.  Kind people from Wittenberg stopped by intermittently, showing hospitality and expressing kindness and appreciation for the pieces.  It was a great joy to do these murals as the summer opener--and to do paintings that would be the backdrop for the children's park in front of the garages.  In the end I think we painted something that is colorful and vibrant, and also created an educational illustration for children who wander over to see the development of egg to the caterpillar, through the chrysalis, to becoming a butterfly.  I greatly appreciate the opportunity to have painted in Wittenberg, and had such an incredible time visiting and adding to the great murals of this community.