Murals

Lead & Teaching Artist: Erica Purnell

Medium: Acrylic and Aerosol on Canvas Panel (12) 

Location: Jamaica Performing Arts Center (JPAC) 153rd Street Fence Side Year of Completion: 2022

Commissioning Entity: NeON Arts

The Queens Culture Quilt was a project built with 10 youth artists through an initiative called Beautify NYC with NeON Arts from Carnegie Hall. It was decided to celebrate individual heritage culture and also create imagery reflective of the colorful diversity of Queens. Individual panels were created and then “quilted” together to tell a story just as a traditional quilt may show a family legacy. All participants agreed in similar themes such as immigration, family tradition, NYC culture and food. The mural was built on an internal participatory process with myself as the Lead Artist and 10 artists hired through NeOn Arts. 

Keith Haring Tribute Mural for Paint 'N Pour NYC Lower East Side Location for studio room named in his honor. 

Uptown Grand Central lead a call to New York City-based artists to transform 1,500 feet of green construction fencing to transform three blocks of fencing located adjacent to the 125th Street Metro-North station into a canvas for murals that support and uplift the community. At the same time, the project will bring Uptown artists together to create freely and legally in the public space.

"Harlem Dreams" was created by Erica Purnell on two panels for a combined space of 8ft X 8ft over two days. The piece was an ode to her Grandfather Olen Purnell who moved to Harlem in the 1940's from North Carolina with her Grandmother Johnnie Mae who is also portrayed in silhouette. Erica would hear stories how her Grandad loved everything about Harlem but would later move to Brooklyn as the family grew. 

"I wanted to bring him back to Harlem in this piece. They are my roots and with me everyday and now even more when I'm out here creating and teaching." - Erica Purnell

https://uptowngrandcentral.org/2019-grandscale-mural-project