ROCKFORD TAKING FLIGHT

The Film | Rockford Taking Flight

Rockford Taking Flight is a short film that debuted at the 2021 Beloit International Film Festival. Embark on a journey where one artist struggles to heal herself and a community through a collaborative art effort. It has screened for keynotes and presentations across a diverse range of audiences including K-12 schools, universities, non-profits, conferences, diverse faith-based organizations, and in living rooms. 

Thanks to the efforts of Rockford's own Toni Ashely McLaughlin and Neil Bloom we have this incredible journey to share with others. 

Directed by Toni McLaughlin in association with Neil Bloom of Future Memory Media 
Produced by Tia Richardson

Trailer | Rockford Taking Flight



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THE EFFORT | HOW WE DID IT

THE STEPPING STONES

1) Starting the Journey
2) Fundraising the Project
3) Community Design Workshops
4) Finishing the Design - Public Reveal
5) Painting the Mural - Preparation, Open Community Painting and Finishing Details
6) Installing the Panels
7) Community Mural Celebration

1) STARTING THE JOURNEY


In spring of 2018 I was introduced to Rev. Rebecca White Newgren, Senior Pastor of SecondFirst Church, through mutual friends I met after screening a film about one of my other projects, 'Sherman Park Rising'.
 
I learned Rev. Rebecca had dreamed of wanting to do a big mural bringing the Rockford community together. After seeing the film she invited me to come work with the church and their non-profit named Jeremiah Development. Together with Sue Kanthak, Executive Director of Jeremiah Development we started a journey using the church's gymnasium wall as a blank canvas. 
 

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2) FUNDRAISING THE PROJECT

 
The seed for this project was planted, but first we needed to raise the money. Our first couple of tries at writing grants were unsuccessful. In 2018 I was invited to share a table with the church at Beattie Is Arts Festival, an annual arts and local entertainment event that drew a diverse audience. It was the first chance I got to hear people's concerns and hopes for Rockford. I felt immediately moved by the people I met and getting to know Rockford through their eyes and ears.

August 2019: $30,000 Kickstarter Launch

FOLLOW THIS JOURNEY ON OUR KICKSTARTER PAGE


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3) COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOPS

In October 2019, three community input workshops drew close to 50 kids and adults from all over Rockford to share their feelings about their community. Working together, they created an inspiring new symbol showing their hopes for the future and how to move through challenges, by thinking about ways to help make them better as a community.

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4) DESIGN APPROVAL


On November 5th the design was revealed to a gathering of the public inside the church's gym. The concept began right after the first workshop and was finished over a period of about two weeks. Using watercolor, coloring took just a few hours to nail down the basic color scheme. The rest would be done while painting. The sketch was put on display during community paint days for all to see what they were painting and how the design would come together on different panels.

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5) PAINTING THE MURAL

PREPARING PANELS WITH VOLUNTEER SUPPORT

 
There were a total of 55 aluminum panels that needing sanding first, then priming so they could be ready for the community to paint. This took about two days. We traced the design onto them using overhead projectors. In all there were about 10 volunteers over four days, including members of the church, locals, and friends from other places who wanted to come support the project. Thanks to all who helped!

OPEN COMMUNITY PAINTING

 
Between November 11th and December 6th, people from all over Rockford had the chance to come to SecondFirst Church's gym and paint background colors inside traced lines. This proved to be a bigger undertaking that I thought I could handle when not enough people were coming out. The more hands involved the more sense of community the art has! So I tried something I had never done before to try to get more hands into the art. The reaction from people surprised me.

PAINTING THE DETAILS

If I wanted to get the mural done I needed extra help with finishing touches from people with some painting experience. I reached out to everyone I knew for assistance from artists no matter their skill level through mid-December. Everyone's abilities were different and all had something valuable to contribute - their interest, time and enthusiasm. Their names are listed on the bottom right of the mural:

Assistant Artists: Jean Apgar, Eva Corcoran, Julie Dieterle, Dorte Doepfler, Karen Johnson, Kim Lamers, Ebony Miller, Esteban Pérez, Austin Piszczek, Mary Summerbell, Nia Twaddle, Marcus Williams, Kathy Williams
 

 One assistant artist, Eva, shares her experience of the project

 

For two weeks at the end of December I worked alone finishing blending and shading in certain key areas. Sharing this opportunity with other artists was definitely a rewarding experience for me. Without their sensitivity to details and willingness to try something new, I wouldn't have been able to complete this project! And to top it off, I loved the camaraderie we developed! This was truly a COMMUNITY effort!
 
 
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6) INSTALLING THE PANELS

On July 16, 2020, Signs Now, a Rockford digital printing and sign company started mounting the panels. They finished in two days. Some of the panels were designed to be cut so the whole thing would fit flush to the gutters for a seamless look. Afterwards I painted the gutters to match the mural and sprayed two coats of varnish.

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7) COMMUNITY MURAL CELEBRATION

On July 27, 2020 'Rockford Taking Flight' was unveiled during a socially distant gathering. Attendees included Rockford's Mayor Thomas P. McNamara and our anonymous donor who matched Kickstarter donations dollar for dollar, LoRayne Logan. We each spoke about what this project has meant to us.

 Stateline News Channel 12

 
Moving from left to right we can see a transformation happening. The river is the collective pysche of the city reaching for something brighter. The challenges it faces are represented by the dark clouds. Several of Rockford's landmark institutions from all parts of the city are together as one in the middle. Rock Valley College, Crusader Health, Woodward, Inc., Booker T. Washington Center, and the Coronado Theatre. Every community needs these centers of life to be healthy - Commerce, Cultural and Community centers, Health and Education.
 
People can look at the images in different ways by thinking about what it means to them. That's the beauty of community art! To everyone who helped share and spread the story of this project - thanks to all for helping bring this lasting symbol of our common good to life!

A very big thank you goes out to Rev. Rebecca White-Newgren and the SecondFirst Church family, and Jeremiah Development for spearheading, providing logistical support and the use of their gym, and helping usher this community project into being! 
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