Written By: Andrew Lei, FCSN Voices Youth Reporter
Graphics By: Christina Gu, FCSN Voices Graphic Artist

A couple of brushstrokes, a spark of creativity, and a willingness to persevere are all it takes to bring art to life. Visitors of FCSN’s Bascom Center may have noticed a fresh, artistic addition that adorns the side of the main building–a vibrant mural that captures the essence of painting and creativity in motion.

The concept and finished product are simple: a sun that rises over a grassy hill, its beam illuminating the horizons above. However, the deep green, vibrant gold, and rich red colors blend together to create a tapestry of life, while the words “FCSN” are chiseled on the sun itself, perfectly encapsulating the organization’s enduring and inspiring message to serve the special needs community like the sun serves us.

Moreover, the artistic mural is only the end result of many months of planning, creating, and collaboration between dedicated FCSN volunteers and special needs individuals. Benjamin Liu, creator and leader of FCSN’s Mural Project, explains,“The Mural is only the final product, but not really the purpose of the project.”

Benjamin envisioned a project that could unite FCSN scouts and special needs friends in creating a proudly displayed finished product. To him, art is a way of connecting people together, as a hands-on activity that requires collaboration and ensures the finished product is always remembered – “a community of people passionate about expressing their creativity despite their different abilities.”

Benjamin’s initial idea, in 2023, he dubbed “overly-ambitious.” He named it “Project Holding Hands” and envisioned an interactive public arts sculpture, made of tiny acrylic blocks, that users could interact with. Then, he thought about ceramic art instead. Overall, with shifts and turns, the brainstorming process took about a year!

Benjamin received constant feedback from FCSN director Sylvia Yeh to steer the quality and direction of the Mural Project. However, he said, “One of my main goals has always been to keep the works of special needs individuals as much as possible without fixing or covering anyone up… The main goal of the mural is to promote inclusivity.”

As planner, supervisor, and designer, Benjamin and his team eventually settled on a final, FCSN-approved image, corralled sponsors and supporters for his project, and began recruiting volunteers, amassing a team of around 20 students and a couple of parents alongside them. He recounts that many of those individuals were first-time volunteers, and while it took a while to adjust comfortably, “I was lucky to work with a good team of people who were able to adapt very quickly.” 

Creating the mural–a process that largely unfurled in the summer of 2023–required an elaborate process. First, Benjamin scheduled a workshop at the FCSN Bascom Center to “train” his team to paint and execute the vision. They started by painting on paper, rather than the wall itself, using the exact same brush and materials the whole way.

After transitioning to the actual wall, the canvas of the Mural Project, volunteers first outlined the wall in the shape of a sun and hill using pencil and sharpie. Special needs friends contributed for 2-3 days, adding colors and life to the painting, and then Benjamin and his team subsequently took the next few weekends to touch up on the final parts. 

In 2025, the Mural has long since finished and dried. However, its message lives on. Benjamin explains that confidence and inclusion are the two main values fostered and inspired by his project. He’s been proud to embolden the special needs community to express themselves; creating a mural isn’t easy, especially for people who haven’t worked on one before, and finishing the job is a testament of pride and accomplishment. 

Ultimately, Benjamin states: “We all learned a lot from each other, no matter our abilities” – fostering a sense of inclusion that extends far beyond the mural itself. He especially appreciates how special needs friends and volunteers constantly pitched in new, unique solutions and ideas for the mural, painting different parts and trying different colors. “No matter what your ability is, art is art, and we were able to work as a team–an inclusive community with a strong sense of collaboration.”

Benjamin concludes by unpacking his hope of what the FCSN Mural Project can inspire. He says, “My vision for this mural is to be a symbol of persistence, of overcoming challenges of taking on any kind of project while boosting confidence and telling a story of inclusivity.” 

A mural, by definition, is a commemorative art piece, and there is a lot to commemorate from Benjamin’s Mural Project alone. Above all, the mural can be seen as an encouragement for other people to step forward and not be afraid to embrace the public. It’s a spark of creativity for future projects of all kinds and forms. 

For some, a work of art begins with a brush touching canvas. Really, it begins far earlier, with a flicker of creativity and an ember of inspiration from within. Benjamin’s Mural Project, depicting a sun that shines its rays on anyone willing to see it, will proudly stand the test of time, encouraging us all to embrace our inner artist and take our passions with brushstrokes to the world, as well. 

(Here is a timelapse of the mural being created: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKEH3knJtgw)