Inspired by the Mission: Hundreds Help Paint Community Mural

A new mural in St. Pete’s Edge District promises to be more than just a pretty picture: Two hands reach toward each other; one releases butterflies that gently flutter toward the lotus flower clutched in the other’s hand. An inscription reads, “Compassion in action.”

The work was commissioned by the Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services, a not-for-profit organization that helps people “of all ages, faiths, cultures, and lifestyles” across a vast spectrum of challenges, to celebrate the org’s 50th anniversary theme. Gulf Coast JFCS Communications Manager Hana Cowart explains that the mural was “inspired by our mission,” and was “painted to life by clients, staff, donors, funders, and community supporters.”

To oversee the project, the org chose artist Alyssa Marie, who moved from Colorado to St. Pete in 2017. She has a BFA in Communication Design with an emphasis on Fine Art from Metropolitan University of Denver and has done paint-by-number community murals across the nation.  

“We chose her as she is both a well-established artist in the area and has experience doing community events,” says Cowart. “This is the largest paint-by-numbers mural that she has done. She made this whole thing very easy for us, too.”

Says Marie, the communal effort of a paint-by-numbers mural, which is part of the Happy Murals project she produces, was a natural fit.

“When I started this, I just wanted to find a way to get everybody involved,” Marie says. “I had painted murals for years by myself and when I did, I would find people were so interested in the process. I wanted to think about a way to allow others to paint a mural with me. Then remembered the paint-by-number books that I did as a kid, and it came together perfectly.”

Marie also works to find the right design to fit with the organization that sponsors it. Gulf Coast JFCS’s mission is to help the most vulnerable individuals throughout the community find safety, comfort, and a path toward a fulfilling life. According to their site, they reach 30,000 people annually throughout the greater Tampa Bay area. They also recently received a $450,000 grant renewal from the NFL’s Inspire Change social justice initiative. The new two-year grant will be used to expand youth services in the Community Assistance and Life Liaison (CALL) program, which trains social workers and mental health professionals to proactively respond to nonviolent and noncriminal 911 calls. 

“This project really resonated with me,” Marie says. “It is an intermeshing with kindred spirits whenever someone wants to work on these [murals]. I really love it because I get to see the community come together to do the art, and the end result is a big mosaic of communication that stands independently.”

The mural’s symbolism is deliberate: The lotus is known as the flower of compassion, Cowart explains. “As the butterflies are released from one hand, they connect with the flower. Each needs the other to continue on.” 

Even the location and placement of the painting was designed to honor a pioneer of local cultural diversity: Dr. Philip Benjamin. You can find it on the west side of the building that housed his optometrist practice, built in 1969. Though Dr. Benjamin passed away in 1998 at the age of 73, his imprint upon this area is indelible.

“I never met him in life, but I feel like I know him because of his reputation and his legacy,” Cowart says. “His family was integral in creating this mural, including his widow, Marilyn. They got brushes and helped us to paint.”

Benjamin was an ardent supporter of the then-St. Petersburg Junior College. He served a vice chairman and chairman on the board of trustees where he worked to establish affirmative action policies and expanded the diversity of campus employees. He also aided in the creation of the college’s Health Education Center. SPJC named the Social Arts Building in his honor in 1984.

The new mural’s location also pays homage to the Jewish history of Arlington Avenue N. As the Jewish population grew in the area, accommodations and services expanded accordingly. Congregation B’nai Israel and Temple Beth-El, both founded in the early 20th century, played vital roles in the community with their synagogues, located just blocks apart on Arlington Avenue. The mural was cosponsored by the Tampa Bay Rays, Amuni Financial, the Benjamin Family Foundation, and Frank Edgar of Creative Catering Company.

The entire mural project was organized to engage a variety of people and to promote diversity. Approximately 600 people, including relatives of Dr. Benjamin, former mayors, and community volunteers, came out over Mother’s Day weekend to work on the mural. Cowart and Marie agree that the volunteers were the best part of the project.

“We loved seeing how the community responded. It was like a Gulf Coast JFCS reunion! We truly got to see the people that the agency has touched and how we touched them,” Cowart says. “Truly, every single person that we spoke to walked away with a smile.”

“The days go by so fast, but it’s wonderful to see two people who are strangers standing next to each other who start talking to see how they connect to the project – to either the organization or to me,” Marie says. “Before you know it, they are making bonds, laughing, and exchanging Instagram accounts. I love to see those connections develop!”

How exactly does paint-by-numbers work on such a large scale? “This was a big mural that reached 16 feet at its tallest point, and it was 105 feet long,” says Maria. “I have a team working with me so when people come, they are given a cup of paint with a number on them. They go to the mural and find a corresponding section with that number to paint. Children are allowed to go on the lower part and those who are good with heights paint on the ladders. Everyone has a 30-minute slot that they sign up for ahead of time, and it goes pretty smoothly.”

 “It was a very hot Florida weekend, so organizing 600 people to come out to paint inside the lines while enjoying themselves might have been a challenge, but Alyssa handled everything beautifully,” said Cowart. “We hope that it inspires the community to be compassionate in action and to think about how compassion can be brought into their lives. I hope they bring that compassion into the world and into supporting our work.”

View the new mural at 929 1st Ave. N. Learn more at gulfcoastjewishfamilyandcommunityservices.org or follow the Happy Mural Project at thehappymuralproject.com.