South Guilford News

As part of Creative Greensboro’s Neighborhood Arts Residency Program, Emilio Marz has painted art on the basketball court at Random Woods Park and Chuck Johnson has painted two crosswalk murals in the Mill District. Each artist was selected by a group of neighborhood residents to lead community engagement and arts programming during a six-month artist residency and install at least one culminating visual arts project. 

Random Woods artist-in-residence Marz hosted drawing sessions based at Alderman Elementary School and worked with the students, park users, and residents to design original artwork for the park’s basketball court and backboards. The art installation features colorful characters, swirling lines, and the name of the neighborhood.

“The new artwork at the basketball court is colorful and inviting, and was needed to bring the park to life,” said Barbara Washington, a resident of Random Woods. “This residency program is great because it brought art into the community, to our neighborhood. The day we celebrated the new artwork, I could see the kids were really enjoying playing on the court. Emilio and his team of artists produced outstanding artwork that was everything we envisioned. I think the kids will continue to come out more and play on the court.”Mill District artist-in-residence Johnson hosted still-life drawing, cyanotype printmaking, and an art-themed bingo night at Smith Active Adult Center, as well as a community clean-up day. His mural designs honor the area’s textile workers. The crosswalk artwork located at Fourteenth and Church streets is an indigo-colored, flannel-patterned mural. At Twelfth and Yanceyville streets, the crosswalk mural features fruit that grows on trees planted in the yards of textile workers’ homes. These fruit trees remain a part of the area’s natural landscape. Each artist had a budget of $22,500 to complete the residency’s neighborhood-based arts programming, community engagement, and artwork design and installation.

Marz has 15 years of experience as a painter and graphic designer and holds an associate degree in graphic design from Forsyth Technical Community College. He created the “Pieces of Now” mural at the Greensboro History Museum and the artwork for the Greensboro Blues Festival’s posters and banners. He also organizes community dance events such as the “My City Get Down Dance Battle” during the 2021 Greensboro Food Truck Festival.

Johnson graduated from Guilford Technical Community College in 2006, where his studies focused on graphic design and photography. His work also includes sign and mural painting and videography. A native North Carolinian, Johnson has traveled internationally to provide lighting design, merchandising, and videography for musical bands. He began painting murals and signs in 2011 and has done commissions for Wrangler, City BBQ, and Crafted - The Art of the Taco.

About Neighborhood Arts

Neighborhood Arts supports artists and neighborhood residents as co-leaders to connect communities with creativity. The program brings creative experiences close to home through arts activities and beautification projects that respond to neighborhood priorities. Through the program, Creative Greensboro has committed over $150,000, to date, toward creative projects in the five neighborhoods identified for reinvestment in the city’s Housing GSO plan. Additional support for the initiative is provided by the City’s Housing and Neighborhood Development, Transportation, Parks and Recreation, and Library departments.

Founded in 2019, Creative Greensboro provides support for, ensures access to, and drives awareness of Greensboro’s creative community. Through a range of programs, services, and partnerships, Creative Greensboro supports the development of a vibrant city. Learn more at www.creativegreensboro.com.

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