A group of students from Dunbar Vocational Career Academy participated in a summer program at Illinois Institute of Technology’s Mies Campus, where they learned about mural painting as both an art form and a trade. The initiative was organized by Illinois Tech’s Office of Community Affairs and Outreach Programs through the Bronzeville Opportunity Engine, a workforce development program.
Felena Bunn, program specialist for the office, said, “This program gave students more than technical skills—it helped them see painting as both a trade and an art form, while building confidence, discipline, and career readiness. They learned how creativity and hard work can open real opportunities for their future.”
The students were introduced to Rahmaan Statik, a local muralist known for his large-scale works across Chicago and other cities. Statik guided the students on public art concepts and encouraged them to consider community preferences when designing murals.
“You have to understand what the public is good with seeing and what they will understand, because you are altering their environment,” Statik said. “Those tastes vary by region.”
He added that certain imagery may be accepted in some areas but not in others: “You are not entitled to people liking your work. You have to respect the demographics of the area, because they are the people who will have to live next to it.”
Taking this advice into account, the students chose to depict prominent figures from Bronzeville on bus stop benches. Their subjects included Timuel Black alongside Sherman “Dilla” Thomas; Jack Johnson with Eve Ewing; and Gwendolyn Brooks with Ida B. Wells.
“We picked people from Bronzeville rather than random people, because of sensitivity for the public,” said Darius Garner, one of the student participants. “We picked people who have had an impact here.”
Garner noted his previous experience was limited to trade-related painting tasks like walls and ceilings. Tamarion McClinton also participated but had only painted as a hobby before joining this project.
Statik explained why he chose to work with Illinois Tech’s Bronzeville Opportunity Engine: “This is the home of Mies van de Rohe, and the students can learn about the Bauhaus movement and how it changed the skyline of Chicago. That movement changed the skyline from Art Deco to a grid-based system, which you see everywhere now.” He emphasized exposing young people to new career paths: “It is important for young people to do something and explore a career path and a life path. It’s also a place to have discussions about what and why we’re painting, and to build a natural narrative around it.”
The project began with lessons on paint properties provided by representatives from Behr Paint. As Bunn described it: “It’s an adhesive—with color.” Behr Paint supplied materials along with Home Depot and Wintrust Bank so that students could paint walls inside Michael Paul Galvin Tower—future home for Illinois Tech’s outreach programs.
Students also learned about vinyl wall coverings from Cannon representatives; received ladder safety training from Little Giant Ladder Co.; attended sessions on design basics led by Emily Carlson; and participated in business skills workshops conducted by Power Construction.
“They are learning life skills here and employment readiness,” Bunn said. “They are learning what it takes to get into the trades.”