Mural Under Way at Chatsworth Hills Academy

A year-long mural project to beautify Chatsworth started Saturday morning with eight white panels and about 75 enthusiastic participants.

Students at the Chatworth Hills Academy, 21523 Rinaldi St., in cooperation with Save Chatsworth Inc., began work on what will be a portable mural, 8 feet tall and 32 feet wide. The first step, carried out in a grassy area under the supervision of art teacher and counselor Shelley Bloom, was to give each panel two coats of primer.

Chatsworth Hills serves student from early childhood through eighth grades and there were some from every grade as the project kicked off.

Seventh grader Jordan Mitas said he doesn't spend a lot of time on art but he is looking forward to painting the panels as part of this year's middle school art curriculum. "It's going to be a lot of fun," he said. Students will carry out all of the work on the mural, including rescaling and transferring the design to the panels.

Bloom designed the mural and gained approval from Save Chatsworth and the Chatsworth Neighborhood Council. The council will help fund the project, along with the office of Michael D. Antonovich, 5th District Los Angeles County supervisor. Save Chatsworth is seeking additional donations.

Once completed, the first location for the mural will be in front of retaining wall on the north side of the 118 Freeway, between the DeSoto and Topanga Canyon exits. That wall has been a frequent target of taggers but project leaders believe those responsible for the graffiti are not likely to mar the mural.

Just in case, though, the mural will be coated with a clear anti-graffiti seal which will make it possible to easily remove anything painted on it.

Bloom, who has been at CHA for 15 years,  said she conceived the idea for the mural with Vanessa Watters, Save Chatsworth president, about two years ago. "We have never before done a project of this size," she said. The mural will be portable and may be relocated to any place where graffiti is a problem.

"The goal of this project is not to merely beautify a particular piece of property but also to provide a unique welcoming sign to the Chatsworth community," Watters said. "CHA was a natural partner for
us because their teachers, students and parents have spent untold hours volunteering with us since we started community beautification in 2005.

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