Clouds for Computers - What Two Very Different California Communities Have in Common

For students living in East Palo Alto, CA, life is challenging. In 1992 East Palo Alto had the highest per capita murder rate in the country, at 42 people murdered with a population of 24,322 people. Poverty seemed to be imminent for its residents and the community struggled with low academic performance. East Palo Alto was relatively untouched when the Dot.com boom surged the economy for the rest of the Bay Area in the early 2000's. During this past recession the town suffered a much higher unemployment rate than the rest of the country.

Sounds daunting, right?

It has been. However, projects headed by concerned community members are striving to improve the life of the residents of East Palo Alto, particularly that of the children. I was clued into one in particular, Clouds for Computers, which aims to connect the neighboring wealthier community of Palo Alto with East Palo Alto through art and technology.

Clouds for Computers is the brainchild of local San Francisco artist Peter Shaw. Shaw works with children at Costaño School, among others in the area, creating cloud paintings. The paintings are based on Peter's own series "100 Blue" which consists of a progression of perfect blue squares that graduate from barely perceptible to nearly black. Their precision indicates the accuracy that technology offers. In an effort to emulate "100 Blue" each student receives a 16"x16" canvas, acrylic paint and a brush and creates his or her own interpretation of the California clouds. The art materials were donated anonymously. Children from neighbor community Palo Alto are also creating their own cloud paintings. The paintings from both communities will be hung side by side - bridging the gap, in many more ways than what is seen. Dozens of tiles are hung, creating one large mural masterpiece and emulating the expansive sky that exists above all of us and across every community. The goal is to create 1000 California Clouds paintings, and already the count is 700.

The story doesn't end here. Peter has plans to scan all of the paintings along side the children so they can learn the process of digital art and reproduction. The process is an important one and links the two communities through digital means. Amazing for the kids!

I had the opportunity to see the paintings and to speak with Shaw and some of the students who are taking part in the project. Peter is extremely passionate about teaching the children the process of art to technology as well as social means of communication. The end goal is to sell the reproductions of the paintings to raise money for laptops for the children at East Palo Alto schools.