An Article in the Ann Arbor News (
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A new mural at the Corner Health Center in Ypsilanti stretches in vivid colors across the front of the North Huron Street building, depicting a diverse group of young people, including a small family, being positively involved in the world.
It's not unlike the mission of The Corner, a comprehensive medical center for young people ages 12 to 21 and their children. The Corner provides health services, education and support, all on a sliding fee scale if necessary.
"It's means to empower the youth and focus on a lot of the strength of the Corner Health Center," said artist Mary Thiefels, "and highlighting what they've done for the community by giving young people the power to become self-actualized; empowering our youth so that they realize their potential as artists, educators, healers, athletes, parents, and more importantly, as responsible and note-worthy human beings."
The funding for the project, which cost approximately $18,000, was raised through a capital campaign, launched last January. This was Corner Executive Director Joan Chesler's third attempt at getting a mural on the building.
"It's been a dream of mine for years," Chesler said. "I'm very, very excited because, first of all, I love public art. Secondly, it'll really enhance the North Huron Street corridor, and it'll bring attention to the Corner Health Center."
The mural has a practical application, too: According to Chesler, patients often had a difficult time locating the center, which doesn't have a lot of signage. Now, she said, she can just direct them to the building with the mural.
The title of the piece is "Together We Solve the Puzzle," and features "images of family, sportsmanship, creativity, renewable energy, all these things that we aspire to in a good and decent world," Thiefels said. "It's meant to be a kind of spiritually, emotionally, and personally uplifting piece that will inspire its viewers."
Since the Corner serves a young population, Thiefels said, that she wanted to incorporate members of that community into the process and make it an educational model. She approached art teachers at Ypsilanti area high schools and asked for recommendations of students that would be interested in apprenticing under a professional artist.
Five students worked on the project, meeting with Thiefels weekly for three months. They were involved with the entire process, from design through completion, and also served as models for the mural.
Travis Barney, a 17-year-old senior at Lincoln High School, was one of the students involved in the project.
"I'd never done a mural before," Barney said. " I really liked it. I'd like to do more."
An article in the Ypsilanti News (
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Corner Health in Downtown Ypsilanti is celebrating their 27th anniversary. As part of that celebration, they unveiled a new mural.
The mural entitled “Together we solve the puzzle” was painted by Mary Thiefels with the assistance of local students.
Corner Health is undergoing a an expanson of their facilities with new offices and patient areas. They are expanding into the former Ypsi Lock building on North Huron that they purchased last year.