Join us for a Paint and Sip led by School of Art alumnus Girasol O’Neill on Wednesday, October 15, 5-7:30pm at SUB1 Room 3B.  

Attendees will be given a small canvas to decorate inspired by Belonging and Latin American heritage. At the end, everyone will lay their canvases down to assemble a community tapestry. This will be photographed before attendees leave with their art piece. 

Hosting Partners: CLIE, Mason Exhibitions, LGBTQ Resources, Latino Alumni Chapter 

Girasol O’Neill is a multimedia, teacher, and human rights activist based in the DC Metro area. He graduated from George Mason University in 2022 with a Bachelors of Fine Arts and currently works as an Elementary Arts teacher with Arlington Public Schools. O'Neill's work explores presence, justice, and socio-political themes through fusing symbols and vibrant colors in whimsical, surreal compositions.

Emotional exchange between art and audiences is the core of his practice, something he refers to as “finding the heart” in each experience. He believes that finding the heart leads us to finding justice through connecting with universal human pain, hope, fear, and joy. O’Neill grew up in Northern Virginia hiding his trans identity and immigrant status for fear of retribution. Reconnecting with his Indigenous Bolivian roots has breathed new life into his individual and community art purpose. 

On Thursday, September 18, 7-10pm, join us at the rear lower level patio of the Art and Design Building for a We All Belong Party to celebrate the reveal of our newest mural on campus, We All Belong by MasPaz.

There will be music, dancing, performances, community-artmaking. We are also excited to have a Mini Patriot Packout Free Store and Donation Swap to address basic needs insecurity, promote resource sharing, and reduce waste. 

This mural was instigated by the current art exhibition in Buchanan Hall Atrium Gallery, Offerings to the Potomac: Acknowledging Indigenous Place.

Join us on Thursday, September 18, 4:45-6:30pm EST for Visual Voices with Federico "MasPaz" Frum. This event will be held at Harris Theater on GMU's Fairfax Campus, and via Zoom. RSVP is required to receive the zoom link via email the day of!

After the lecture, we will have a We All Belong Unveiling Party from 7-10pm! Come enjoy the new mural with music, dancing, and a community collage!

Questions should be emailed to Jeff Kenney (jkenney5@gmu.edu)

About the Artist

MasPaz (Federico Frum), an alumnus of Mason’s School of Art, is a Colombian-born multidisciplinary artist, based in Washington DC. He is known for his distinctive street murals that explore topics of earth preservation and indigenous peoples. He recently created the Art of the Skateboard, a series of stamps for the U.S. Postal Service. Mas Paz means 'more peace' in Spanish, a message he strives to embrace through art and philanthropy. 

He has been featured on ABC News, Telemundo and The Washington Post, among others. He has collaborated with brands such as Nike, National Geographic, Roots, Sierra Club, and Brooks Running, as well as institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Gallery of Art, the New Museum, the Corcoran, the Freer and Sackler Gallery. He has also worked with numerous schools and education centers throughout the world. 

Join Murals at Mason and the Native American and Indigenous Alliance to help paint a mural on Thursday, April 17, 5-8pm in Buchanan Hall Atrium Gallery.

No experience is necessary! All supplies will be provided!

Meet Girasol O’Neill, one of the artists in Offerings to the Potomac: Acknowledging Indigenous Place, and help him paint murals that are going on Old Town Hall in the City of Fairfax this summer!

Join Murals at Mason and UndocuMason to help paint a mural on Tuesday, April 15, 3-7pm in Buchanan Hall Atrium Gallery.

No experience is necessary! All supplies will be provided!

Meet Girasol O’Neill, one of the artists in Offerings to the Potomac: Acknowledging Indigenous Place, and help him paint murals that are going on Old Town Hall in the City of Fairfax this summer!

Join us on Tuesday, November 19 from 6-8pm to see an Original Documentary about Patriot Packout at Ike's Dining Hall on Mason's Fairfax campus.

In collaboration with Mason Dining's Gourmet Gathering, a curated menu of locally sourced and campus-grown food will be served! 

Patriot Packout (PPO) is George Mason's community-based donation initiative that diverts new and gently used items from trash and redistributes them to students, faculty, and staff for free!

Items you may find through PPO include clothing, shoes, books and tech, art-making and office/school supplies, non-perishable food and toiletries, small appliances and furniture, bikes, scooters, and skateboards, and MORE.

PPO is made possible by countless university partners and supporters, including (mostly volunteer) staff, faculty, students, and community members.

This event is a collaboration between Facilities and Campus Operations, Mason Exhibitions, and Mason Dining.   

Join us on Wednesday, September 11 at 11am-1:30pm at the rear lower-level patio of the Art and Design building to participate in a Rain Barrel Painting of the Chesapeake Bay Food Web with School of Art alumna Nadya (Bella) Steare!

George Mason Facilities donated a rainwater barrel to the School of Art for installation at the Sculpture Yard to raise awareness about stormwater management using public art. Murals at Mason commissioned a design from Nadya Steare that encompasses the estuarine food web of the Chesapeake Bay. 

Each step of the food web is unique and important to the health of the ecosystem and those who depend on it for food, clean water, and recreation. The rain barrel design will raise awareness about the (often toxic) contents of stormwater runoff into the Chesapeake Bay and the animals that are affected. 

Mason students, faculty, and staff are welcome to join us for a free Narcan training offered by Mason’s Employee Health and Well-Being Team on Friday, April 26, 10:30am-12:30pm in Gillespie Gallery of the Art and Design building.

After the training, attendees will be invited to participate in a collaborative artmaking activity and share stories/get to know each other. All materials and supplies will be provided!

RSVP is required to ensure we have enough materials and Narcan kits for everyone!

This is a way we can come together and support each other, while learning practical skills to address a growing social issue.

Please email Marie Guagenti with questions/concerns at mguagent@gmu.edu

Drop in at the Johnson Center Gold Room (next to Dewberry Hall) anytime between 11am-3pm on Thursday, March 21 for free food and fun activities as you learn more about Patriot Packout (PPO), Mason's annual donation initiative that collects new, like-new, and gently used items during move-out.

Patriot Packout 2024 is scheduled from April 15 – May 10 and there are many ways to participate this semester and over the summer!

Contribute to a mixed media collage entitled “Solidarity Through Sustainability” with everyday/found materials in partnership with Mason Exhibitions. All materials will be provided. Students are encouraged to bring Mason-branded items, knickknacks, and random, small creative items.

The Drop-In Social event will feature the following activities:

1. Explore volunteer opportunities on campus

2. Learn about available resources to meet basic needs

3. Contribute to a mixed media collage - bring your own items OR make things during the event

4. Bring donations for Patriot Pantry (dry goods, toiletries)

5. Enjoy vegan, vegetarian, and Halal food from local community kitchen, Anna Sudha

6. Enjoy Thai Tea and Vietnamese Coffee

Join Mason Exhibitions/Murals at Mason and our campus partners to celebrate the newest six murals on campus!

“The Ideal of Community” murals were painted by a 2022 Graduate of the School of Art, Alecsis Pillar.

There will be light beverages and snacks, remarks from the artist and project partners, and mingling on Wednesday, September 13 from 1-2pm in the Patriots Lounge of SUB1 on the Fairfax Campus.

Paid visitor parking is available in the Mason Pond Parking Deck.

For more information about the murals, visit here: https://www.masonexhibitions.org/murals/ideal-community-lecsi-pillar

Join us at Big Buns Damn Good Burgers at 10392 Lee Hwy, Fairfax, VA 22030 for our latest mural unveiling! You will have the opportunity to see the mural up close in person, and meet the artist herself!