MAINE, USA — Three years ago, Common Roots Studio Owner Nick Blunier bought an old school bus off Facebook Marketplace.
He transformed it into a mobile art bus, inviting the community and local graffiti artists to cover the bus in artwork. Its purpose is to create a safe space for children and families to express themselves through art, one craft at a time.
"I think it's just crazy important to be able to let kids express themselves," Blunier said. "Just seeing kids and families being able to create together. The excitement of a kid using some sort of a supply that they've never used before."
Blunier got the idea from an internship.
"The bus was really created based off of an internship that I did when I went to UNE here in Biddeford," Blunier said. "I worked with a nonprofit organization called The Art Van. It's based up north and that's a mobile arts therapy program for families, and they just travel around in a crazy painted van and provide free art activities for kids and families."
During the summer, Blunier takes his art bus to events around the state, offering arts and crafts free of charge.
However, since his art studio is not a nonprofit, they rely on sponsorships, donations, and hired events to be able to provide this type of community outreach for free.
Blunier says sometimes expressing yourself with words can be hard. That's why he wants to be able to give kids another outlet.
"I think art's incredibly important. I use it every day with my work as a special needs art teacher." Blunier said. "When art's involved, it kind of makes that wall that's built up a little bit shorter. They're able to actually verbalize some things when they're focused on the art-making process rather than sitting and talking and being in that kind of environment. So to be able to use art in a therapeutic outlet is always really fun, and really, the whole reason why we started this project."
The art bus will be at the Center for Grieving Children in Portland for one of its volunteer training days. Blunier says this organization is another reason why the art bus project started.
"It's a local nonprofit that just means a lot personally to me," Blunier said. "I had a good friend who used to go and volunteer his time every Friday because it was a center that he went to as a kid, and he ended up passing from cancer. So to be able to do this big event for the community up there and to be able to provide this [is] kind of in Tommy's name."
During the colder months, Blunier says the art bus hosts adult art nights that participants pay for.
The proceeds from those events go back into community outreach programs like the Mobile Art Bus to be able to continue providing kids and families activities for free.
If you'd like to donate, you can do so by donating supplies or money. You can learn more about the Mobile Art Bus, how to donate, and schedule of events at commonrootsstudio.com.