Morean Arts Center – 719 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Ya La’Ford will be painting a new mural entitled, ‘The Golden Wave,’ which is the inspiration for her latest student project. ‘Muralopia’ is a children’s book written by Ya and presented in collaboration with the St. Petersburg Public Library and the Morean Arts Center.
‘Muralopia’ will showcase students from five diverse families who learn the power of bridging their differences to create a brighter future in their community through art. The students ranging in age from 7 – 14 years old will be selected through a citywide art competition where they will be asked to design a work of art that reflects interconnectivity, love, peace, and community.
Maintaining her studio work in both Tampa Bay and New York, Ya La’Ford is a professor, visual painter, installation artist and muralist, with a MFA from The Art Institute of Boston and a Juris Doctor law degree from the University of Florida for good measure. Her work can be seen across the country from the Boston Public Library to the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum.
As an inaugural artist for the SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Fest, Ya transformed an underground, 85’ pedestrian walkway from top to bottom with her intricate, geometric pattern design to create the “SUNnel” and a new community space.