By Rick Winterson

     Everyone in South Boston knows Norm Crump, Southie’s painter-laureate.  His work is featured in homes, businesses, and institutions all over the old hometown.  He and his partner, Dan McCole, operate their own gallery at 200 Seaport Boulevard.

     Norm is also as community-spirited as they come.  So, Linda Doran, the Director of the Health Center’s “Young at Arts” program, knew whom she could enlist when she needed a mentor to create a mural at the Health Center.  Norm volunteered at once, and began to work with two young painters, Edward Falero and Shannia Chaparro.

     Edward Falero is from the Uphams Corner neighborhood of Dorchester.  He’s a Junior at the Odyssey School at South Boston High, which specializes in environmental studies.  His artwork includes cartooning and fancy printing.  He would like to attend either Boston College or UMass Boston, preferably with an athletic scholarship.  Ed wants to be either an artist or a pro athlete.

     Shannia Chaparro lives in Old Colony on Columbia Road, near the Washington Branch Library.  She is a sophomore at Madison Park High in their Culinary Arts program, and wants to continue her culinary arts studies in college.  She would also like to become a dancer and choreographer.  Shannia is a sketch artist.

     Work on the mural is well underway.  It is located in the second floor waiting room at the South Boston Community Health Center, and is a view of Pleasure Bay and Castle Island from the Farragut statue’s vantage point.  It features the spectrum of blues that has become the Crump trademark. 

     Norm, Ed, and Shannia will be working on the 4’ by 8’ mural over the next couple of weeks.  The project was arranged by Linda Doran, who is the Director of the “Young at Arts” program.  “Young at Arts” is a program devoted to teaching and mentoring young people in the visual and performing arts.  It is a joint project of the Health Center, Artists for Humanity, the South Boston Arts Association, and the South Boston Association of Non-profits.