The Boys & Girls Club of East L.A.
A truly incredible opportunity at the Boys & Girls club presented itself when the Director of The East L.A. center was looking to renovate the Teen Center. They had already had the room primed white and like an artist staring at a blank canvas, they were trying to figure out what to do with it.
I was given an opportunity to meet some of the youth at the center in January 2007 after they marveled at the 8 Colores de Nuestras Culturas prints the B&G of East L.A. had purchased and prominently placed in the game room. It was truly a remarkable feeling to see so many youngsters totally into the art. I decided to send out a hello greeting promoting the cartoon murals in February at the exact time they were looking for an idea for the room. Timing is everything I thought as they jumped at the chance to have some herediadesigns creations on the wall.
"The teens did not want the murals covered so the Lakers had to move their history wall graphics to the hallway. " They really liked the samples I showed them especially a logo I designed for rapcircle.com. After getting the ok from my customer (rapcircle.com) I painted the logo on the wall with a few modifications. It came out so sharp that when I returned to do the next side of the wall, I walked in on some kids trying to peel it off. Convinced that it was a sticker, even the program director of the Teen Center was trying to peel it off. After a few good laughs I assured them that it was the best compliment a mural painter could receive. Three months after completing the murals, I was told that the Los Angeles Lakers, Toyota and the NBA had awarded the center with a grant to renovate the teen center. The kids were thrilled with the attention and support they were about to recieve. When the sponsors for the Lakers arrived to renovate the room with all of their NBA memorabilia, the kids frowned upon them covering up the two murals they had grown to love. The teens had asked them to place their wall clings in the hallway and to paint around the murals. Anna Araujo, the Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club of East L.A. sent me a charming testimonial which I have posted on my testimonials page and want to share it with you.
"David Heredia painted two murals in our teen room. In October 2007 the Lakers,Toyota & the NBA renovated our back rooms where the two murals were painted. The teens did not want the murals covered so the Lakers had to move their history wall graphics to the hallway. Your murals are still the highlight of the room. Thank you." - Anna Araujo.
