TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Pick up a paintbrush and be part of a community canvas for the nonprofit organization Child and Family Resources, on Saturday, October 25, from 8 a.m. to noon on the corner of Broadway and Treat.
It's open to everyone 14 and older.
When you arrive, you'll be handed a cup of paint with a number, find that number on the wall, and fill in the blank.
Pen Macias is the professional muralist leading this project.
"Everything will be provided, just be willing to get dirty," Pen Macias said.
Macias has been doing public art all over Tucson for four years. When Child and Family Resources called and asked for her help, she was more than happy to get teens involved with the project.
"I'm a mom of four, so this is something that is really dear to my heart," Macias said.
Child and Family Resources is a state-wide agency that does prevention work and offers many programs, funded by the government.
Diane Fellows, president and CEO of the organization, says they work with children, families, child care providers, and youth ages 12 to 24.
"We work with families in their homes to help them work with their children and understand child development and understand milestones that children go through, and help them with what they're struggling with," Fellows said.
She adds, the organization works in the high schools and middle schools with teens on substance abuse, pregnancy prevention, risky behaviors, and relationships.
"Kind of strengthen their self-esteem and empower them to have healthy relationships in the future," Fellows said.
The teenagers who are involved with the program will help finish the Paint by Numbers Mural.
"So the design is a landscape that starts with the Sonoran Desert, and then it goes into the red rocks of Sedona, and then the Grand Canyon, the great plains of Northern Arizona, onto the mountains of Flagstaff to kind of represent this whole state," Macias said.
Macias says the outline took nine days for her and her team to fill out, and is looking forward to seeing the community come together to make it complete.
"It's so cool seeing that everyone is really an inner artist and once they get the paintbrush, there's so much good energy," Macias said.
Fellows said she knew the mural would be a great idea after Broadway was expanded.
"We lost some of our front property, so we lost a driveway that used to be. So we put up a wall in front of what we've now made as a garden for our community and for our staff," Fellows explained. "We decided to paint a mural on the way that depicted Child & Family Resources and the services across the state that we do."
She says she's excited to see the community help make a difference on Broadway.
"It's really colorful, it's gonna be pretty," Fellows said.
There will also be a station to make bracelets and bags.
The event is on Oct. 25 located at 2800 E. Broadway Blvd from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
——
Vanessa Gongora is KGUN 9's Westside reporter.. Vanessa fell in love with storytelling by growing up in sports. She was fascinated by how sports reporters go beyond the x's & o's to tell players' stories, and how sports bring people together, inspiring Vanessa to provide the same impact as a journalist. Share your story ideas and important issues with Vanessa by emailing vanessa.gongora@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
----
STAY IN TOUCH WITH US ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
