BY LEON B. CREWS
Sentinel Staff Writer

Community Stepping Stones will be hosting demonstrations on Thursday, July 14th and Friday, July 22nd from 5 p. m. until 8 p. m. The demonstrations will be the painting of a 16-foot mural and other works of art by a group of children from the Sulphur Springs community.

Sigrid Tidmore

Sigrid Tidmore, Executive Director for the Patel Foundation For Global Understanding and co-founder of Creative TampaBay, is coordinating the project and said the kids are working very hard.

Ms. Tidmore said although they are currently concentrating on the Sulphur Springs area, they are going to grow beyond that area.[private]

“The mural painting involves a dozen kids all working together. We’re trying to launch a program that will provide training for the kids, then put them to work for local businesses that need art work.”

“We’re looking everywhere for kids over 14 who want to come after school and work. We feel there is a great role for kids with artistic talent. They learn other skills like photo shop, production work, and painting within outlined boundaries. All we ask of them is to show some interest in art and the desire to move ahead.”

Ms. Tidmore said many of the kids don’t know good business attitudes and those are things they need mentors and models for.

“Right now, they are working on the mural at the Hillsborough Community College Ybor City Art Gallery on the first floor of t he Performing Arts Building on the corner of Palm Avenue and 14th Street. The kids painting the mural listen to music as they work, and they will demonstrate to the public how they go about creating the mural.”

“We want to come into Hillsborough County’s most challenged neighborhoods, and help bring creative at-risk youth together to build a business that will save their future.”[/private]