Sparcinla is hiring: Lead Artist in Los Angeles

Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) is a community-based non-profit arts organization founded in 1976 by muralist Judith F. Baca, filmmaker Donna Deitch, and artist Christina Schlesinger. SPARC is dedicated to producing, presenting, and preserving public artworks in Los Angeles neighborhoods. The organization is best known for its work in hundreds of Los Angeles neighborhoods at a grassroots level to produce the rich legacy of Los Angeles murals and the ethnic face of our city.

Responsibilities

SPARC’S Lead Artist is an innovative leader and Visual artist/muralist committed to social change. The Lead Artist will head the new Great Wall of Los Angeles mural project, an extension of the original Great Wall of Los Angeles National Historic Monument in the San Fernando Valley produced under the direction of Judith F. Baca from 1976 to the present. This production will extend the ½ mile mural an additional half mile from the 60’s-2000 decades. The Lead Artist is passionate about making a difference within the greater Los Angeles community and demonstrates leadership in the field that will galvanize various stakeholder groups in the production of the project, including but not limited to: the general public, civic groups, the LA arts community, elected officials, arts institutions, and educational institutions.

Specifically, the Lead Artist will lead the creative team in all creative projects within the Digital Mural Lab and will devise thumbnail sketches for the Great Wall project and scale illustrations that document the stories and histories of California’s ethnic groups underrepresented in history texts and public consciousness. In the tradition of Mexican Mural making and inspired by the techniques and narratives evolved by Los Tres Grandes (David Alfaro Siquerios, Diego Rivera, and José Clemente Orozco), the Lead Artist will direct and lead artists to construct visual narratives that are harmonious and symbolic in composition, evocative in subject matter, and accurate in the diverse representation of California’s history keeping with the Great Wall aesthetics and methodology.

Additionally, the Lead Artist is responsible for the day-to-day management of the production activities of The Digital Mural Lab (DM/L), a unique research and artistic production facility that combines state-of-the-art computer technology with the production of public artworks, curriculum, and media. The facility focuses on research in mural techniques with technological advancements while teaching the process of community engagement through the arts. The DM/L provides the opportunity to work alongside artists in a community context toward the production of major segments of the Great Wall Monument.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree (B.A., B.F.A., B.S.) from an accredited university required; Master’s Degree (M.F.A. or other related degree) strongly preferred.

Experience

• Extensive experience required in the creation of monumental scale murals as lead artist.
• 10+ years in a professional setting as a Lead Artist or related position required.
• Proven experience in a leadership capacity within the Los Angeles arts community.
• Knowledge of digital art making including photo editing and the use of digital drawing tools (Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter) required.
• 10+ years extensive experience managing administrative staff and artists.
• Experience working with a diverse stakeholder group consisting of members of the public, elected officials, LA’s art community, art institutions, and educational institutions.
• Strong and innovative use of research and reference material in support of idea generation and problem solving in the creation of complex, original art productions.
• Excellent communication skills, with a teamwork-oriented approach to staff management.

Submitting an Application

Please submit a resume, cover letter, three references, and a link to your portfolio to jobs@sparcinla.org.

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