During the summer of 2021, Buffalo Arts Studio’s Jump Start high school and college extension students participated in a two week polytab mural production workshop as part of the Hervé Tullet: Shape and Color exhibition at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum Northland site. Buffalo AKG Public Art Initiative team members worked in concert with Buffalo Arts Studio staff to develop a rich curriculum that addressed not only the polytab mural process, but also stressed the importance teamwork, project management, and community engagement.

Workshop participants learned the unique benefits and challenges of working on cloth known as “polytab” and assisted in the execution of a major mural designed by Hervé Tullet, an international artist and beloved children’s book author who believes that audiences “complete” his works. Using polytab allows artists to work indoors on panels that are later installed onto building exteriors using acrylic primer. Once applied, the panels are secure and weatherproof. The students painted nearly half of the Tullet designed mural, which consists of 85 five foot by five foot panels to be installed by the Buffalo AKG Public Art Team at 847 Main Street.