The Morris Park community celebrated the work of 10 local school children whose posters will become a permanent part of the fabric of the community.
The children were honored for their outstanding work designing and drawing depictions of the Morris Park community from their own viewpoints. Their drawings on posters will soon be replicated onto the walls of a railroad underpass at Bronxdale Avenue near E. Tremont Avenue by an experienced artist funded by Bronx Council on the Arts. The underpass is often marred by graffiti artists.
Senator Jeff Klein joined with Morris Park Community Al D’Angelo and community and business leader Mark Gjonaj to announce the winners of “Best of Morris Park Poster and Mural Contest” at the MPCA headquarters on Friday, March 23.
“I’m thrilled with the energy and enthusiasm from the many Morris Park students who responded to this beautification project,” Klein said. “Through their artistic expression, we will transform this blighted intersection into a source of community pride.”
The 10 winning students, who will assist the artist, were: Anthony DellaCamera and Joseph DellaCamera of St. Clare of Assisi School, who created the design for the “Best of Morris Park” text; Alyssa Rodriguez of P.S. 108 and Josette Rivera of St. Clare, who along with students from St. Clare School, will add a historic theme with a depiction of the Morris Park racetrack; Alyssa Guerra of St. Francis Xavier, whose drawing depicts “Morris Park pride;” Nancy Leon, who along with fellow P.S. 83 students, will be working on a portrait of her school as part of “Morris Park sites”; Roger Cheng, Elisa Ilieva, and Silda Neza, who along with classmates at P.S. 108, will be working on their shared portraits of the Morris Park Columbus Day Parade; and Taina Soler, who along with the help of fellow Van Nest Academy schoolchildren, will also be doing a design of the Columbus Day Parade for the mural to be painted by a professional artist.
The artwork should enhance an area that serves as a gateway to the Morris Park community, Klein said. The painting at the site should start in April and be finished by June, said a spokesman for Klein.
Several of the children said that it will be a real thrill when the mural is completed.
“I think it will be fun to display my work,” said winner Josette Rivera. “
“We’re very pleased with the volume of participants we have and we congratulate the winners.” said Robert Ruggiero, president of the Morris Park Merchant Alliance.
