Artist in residence Lisa DiFranza shows a visitor to the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine how to contribute to the collaborative “Portrait of Community.” Contributed / Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine

Assembled on a teal cardboard wall is a wide range of children’s artwork: doodles of multiple orange cats, crayon-drawn self-portraits, Acadia National Park depicted in markers, a drawing of a cup of boba tea. While the works vary in style and content, they come together in the mural to create a portrait of the children of the Portland area.

The mixed-media patchwork mural is “Faces of Belonging: Building a Portrait of Community,” a project guided by Lisa DiFranza, the artist in residence for the fall at the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine. The artist residency aims to foster community and creativity among children and adults, as the artist facilitates a project in the MakerSpace under a theme. DiFranza’s theme is “belonging,” which she interpreted to create this collaborative portrait.

“It’s sort of turned into ‘What do you love about your community?'” said DiFranza.

With an array of cardboard to color on and pipe cleaners, glue and scissors to sculpt with, children at the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine can create a self-portrait of them in their community, or a person, place or thing they love about their community. DiFranza said the caregivers who bring their children to the museum also get invested in the project.

“As it’s turned out, I also think right now in our culture, it’s really nice for people to think about the positive things in their communities. You know, it’s just like some of the adults have said, ‘Oh, that’s a really good idea. Really focus on the positive,'” said DiFranza.

A section of the “Portrait of Community” mural in the MakerSpace. Sophie Burchell / The Forecaster

Nearly 400 children participated in the “Portrait of Community” project across three afternoon sessions between Nov. 10-13 with DiFranza, including a busy afternoon on Veterans Day when there was no school. In sessions with DiFranza, she guides the young artists under the prompt of “community,” but lets them create whatever they desire.

“It’s been so much fun because some are very thoughtful about what they love, the places they love or the people they love. Some have drawn their family. Some have drawn, you know, McDonald’s french fries, or created things that just make them happy,” said DiFranza.

“What’s been nice about it is there’s been no hesitation, you know?” she said.

The Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine hosts artist residencies in the MakerSpace for one week twice a year, providing prompts that the artists interpret into a project. In addition to the creative experience the program provides to museum visitors, the residencies give children a chance to meet a professional artist.

“We love bringing in established and emerging artists into the museum, and so it just offers an opportunity for our guests to meet professional working artists, and to really have that experience with them,” said Juliette Vlachos-Coldreck, the visitor program manager for the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine and coordinator of the artist residencies.

“It’s really great for kids just (to) see a working artist. It kind of takes away some of the confusion around, like, ‘What’s an artist?’ Really, anyone can be an artist,” she said.

DiFranza is an interdisciplinary, multimedia artist who pursues storytelling through theater, dance, visual arts and literature. Born into a family of visual artists in New York City, her professional focus has been in theater directing both children and adults in Portland and Chicago. After moving back to Portland this year from Florida, she directed “Conscience” at Portland Stage.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, DiFranza returned to her roots in visual arts and began painting every day, posting a small, finished work daily on Instagram. She said the act of completing a painting every day forced her to become more creatively fearless, which she also feels when creating alongside children.

“Working with kids now is a full-on reminder of the instinct to create and just don’t second guess yourself, just slap it out there and make it happen. And just the excitement of creating, it’s always a shot in the arm to feel that and see that in action,” said DiFranza.

“And the interesting part of this project is also seeing the way people work together, or people choosing to put their piece next to something that they admire … starting to put their own creativity sort of in touch with somebody else’s,” she said.

The creation of Shio Horie, age 5, representing her family with two moms. Sophie Burchell / The Forecaster

Portland residents Chloe Horie and her daughter Shio Horie, 5, visit the Children’s Museum and Theatre about once a month. Shio participated in the artist-in-residence session on the afternoon of Wednesday, Nov. 13.

“She just loves the MakerSpace,” said Chloe Horie.

After DiFranza explained the project and provided inspiration and materials, Shio Horie drew a Pride flag alongside pipe cleaners glued in a spiral bordered by blue and red hearts. Her mother helped her explain that she drew the flag as part of the project about belonging because Shio Horie has two moms.

“That’s part of your community, right?” asked Chloe Horie.

“Yes!” said Shio Horie, before returning to carefully hot glue the pipe cleaners.