Making of a mural: One City Community Center bringing people together one brush stroke at a time

One City community center used its wall not to separate, but, to bring together all members of the Cape Girardeau area by enlisting the help of local artist Malcolm McCrae and allowing a piece of artwork to be painted by anyone.

At the intersection of Independence and North Frederick streets, community members are now greeted with a bright piece of art -- a mural painted by, and for, the community.

The first community-based public piece of art in Cape Girardeau, Malcolm McCrae's design and process truly brings unity within the community: bringing the goal and intent of the mural to life.

The mural centers around the phrase "unity in our community," a motto adopted by the One City community center founders aiming to utilize the facility for art enrichment for children, community events and job-skills training.

One City, a Cape Girardeau-based community center, approached McCrae about doing a community-based mural to represent love, support and other positive messages within the community.

Bankole McCrae plays a drum during a community paint day Wednesday.Ben Matthews

"We wanted it to be an attention-getter, as far as people driving by and [stopping] to look at it," said Mishea Culbreath, program director for One City. "It's just a nice reminder: because the words are actually in it: unity in our community."

With the help of volunteers, McCrae was able to give the mural a strong visual base before inviting the community to be apart of the art piece Wednesday, July 25.

McCrae spoke of the importance of showing the young generations what the community looks like when it comes together. He also spoke of the importance of being able to "stop any kind of negative perspectives of tagging and graffiti" and show the power of the art form without vandalism.

In addition to his time spent on the makings of the mural itself, McCrae also led a hip-hop arts camp where students were able to create their own mural renditions via canvas, acrylic and airbrush techniques.

"You gotta get the community out, you gotta have things for these young people to do because if you don't keep them employed and you don't have creative things for them to do, you see the crime, you see all the different things go up," McCrae said. "But they're hungry -- they're just waiting on us as the adults to get our stuff together so we can have opportunities like this so they can create freely."

Sierra Lewis dips a brush with fresh paint for Roland Cassel, 3, who is reflected in her sunglasses Wednesday at One City community center in Cape Girardeau.Ben Matthews