Team Beach Bums - Week #4

This week we had a guest artist come and spray paint two benches on the SDSU campus.  Monty Montgomery spent three days on campus giving us valuable tips for our own bench designs.  He advised us on what tape to use, how to avoid over spray, and the most effective way to spray paint.  We also got to view pictures of his most recent project, which resembled the same style he was painting the benches at SDSU.  The benches he painted relied on color interaction and bold outlines, very similar to our own design.  We were able to watch a professional create a beautiful, public piece of art and aspire to follow in his footsteps.  Having Monty at our school was an inspiration for our own benches and allowed any passerby to view the current work of the art students.

Top: Monty working on one of the benches

Bottom: the finished bench designs

Here is a video of Monty spray painting

In addition, our group began priming our bench for painting.  We all collaborated to paint the bench with white primer as to enhance the spray paint colors and get a smooth coat of paint.  We came back two days later to begin spray-painting the first layers of our design.  We had to work with the weather, as it was hot and windy, blowing the spray paint around us.  We rotated which side of the bench we worked on because we needed multiple coats of each color for an even layer.  Spray painting even coats were harder than expected, but our team gave pointers and was supportive of one another as we all learned how to work a spray can.  This bench project has been a unique and great experience because we are creating a lasting piece of public art.  We are all grateful for this opportunity and proud that we will be able to point out which bench is ours to fellow students.

Team Beach Bums beginning to spray paint our bench

Top Left: Ricky and Lisel painting stripes,

 Top Right: Karissa spraying flowers,

Bottom: Jackie spraying waves

Here is a video of Team Beach Bums spray painting our bench

-Karissa Rhoads