This spring, I’m working on a dual mural project that is centered around the relationship between the Norton Correctional Facility (NCF) and the community of Norton, Kansas. NCF is a medium security men’s prison about four miles east of the town of Norton, while Norton is the county seat of Norton County in the northwest part of the state. At NCF, I am working with a group of residents and NCF Warden Hazel Peterson on the design for a mural that will be painted in their “chow hall,” pictured below.
The Haven
In town, I am collaborating with community members and project manager Caryl Hale on a companion mural for an organization called The Haven which provides housing to family members when they come to visit relatives living at the prison. The two murals will be related in theme and content, and both will be painted by mixed groups of NCF residents and Norton community members. The project is being supported by grants from the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Creative Placemaking program.