Category painting
New Pemberton Street Mural Engages All Ages, as Creators and Viewers
“The Pemberton Street Mural was designed by Cambridge artist Whitney Van Praagh in collaboration with Alex Adamo and Kit Collins, with additional artistic contributions from many local residents and Cambridge youth. The mural was funded through the City of Cambridge Participatory Budgeting Process and supported by Cambridge Arts.” ( quote from Cambridge Arts calendar, October 2023)
My photos here are from one day when the Pemberton Mural was almost finished ( October 10) and another day soon after completion (Oct 26).
Double Delight and Much More in Mural Art by Jessie and Katey at Kendall Center, Cambridge
Silly to keep waiting for all construction in Kendall Plaza to stop obstructing parts of Jessie and Katey’s brilliant designs on two main entries there. September 2021 was the celebration of completion; but after four visits since then, I am deeply impressed with the vitality they add to often disrupted surroundings.
Many Painters Added to Murals for Summer Solstice Celebration 2023, Harvard Museums of Science and Culture
Among the many engaging activities for all ages at the Harvard Museums’ Summer Solstice Festival 2023 was one that invited everyone to add brilliant colors to murals designed for the occasion by artist Howie Green. My arrival and photo-taking began after the artwork had already developed through several hours of turn-taking by attentive participants with brushes and chosen paint colors.
Here are a few photos that should convey the way children and adults focused on their additions to the artwork. Several people are wearing flower crowns created in another inviting activity in the spirit of the solstice on that evening of perfect weather for the occasion.
Liz LaManche’s Mural Transformed a Park Stairway in Memory of Al Riskalla
Here are my photos from 2018 of Liz Lamanche’s unique, memorable mural I had long hoped to post about. Delayed with hopes of getting more worthy photos in different seasons, I was then daunted by roped-off, covered steps during a few years of construction related to the Boston area transportation system.
Construction now completed, the mural’s faded and worn-down surfaces overwhelmed my attempts at photo-taking. If there are funds for mural restoration in Somerville this year, I’d advocate for this one above all! Meanwhile, I offer quotes and links to more vivid photos on the artist’s website Earthsign, to affirm this mural’s special features and fascinating story.
Dominic Killiany’s Art Enlivens Playground, Gallery and Vision
Indoor experience of the scale, range, development and intricacies of Killiany’s work enriched my connections with his art throughout the playground. The exhibit, up until the end of August, is an opportunity for adults and children to understand this artist’s creative vision. Here are my photos, with quotes and links to resources that can add to your appreciation of Killiany’s art, whether or not you are clambering around it.
Young Artists Respond Creatively to Noted Grownups of Art History
Artworks by students at Saint Peter School in Cambridge are engagingly displayed in a corner window of CVS Pharmacy in Porter Square, Cambridge. The art and information led me to learn more to share in this post. If you live locally, you can still stop on Somerville Avenue to look. Otherwise, or in addition, enjoy the photos, links, and quotes that extend the creative spirit of students and their art teacher/artist Tonya Grifkin.
Newest Mystic River Mural Panels Feature Poem by Terry Carter and Actions by Green Roots
Panels from the summer Mystic River Mural Project are now installed on Mystic Avenue. Here are iPhone photos from my visit plus quotes with links to rewarding resources.
See Many Sides of Murals by Adam O’Day, Julia Roth and Cedric Douglas in Kendall Square
In December I happened upon two murals (painted 2019, 2020) on vent shafts for BioMed underground parking in the Canal District, Cambridge. Both extended my fascination with how artists can work creatively to include all sides and various functional features in their mural designs. The photos, links and quotes here should help reveal what artists did to transform vent shafts into colorful, exciting works of art!
Gold Brings Glow to “Breathe Life Together” Mural in Dewey Square on the Greenway
This post is a brief follow-up to the earlier one with images and quotes about the mural in progress during June 2022, crammed with quotes and links. The focus here is on how and why Rob “Problak” Gibbs incorporated gold and purple within the mostly black, gray, and white range of the main images.
Take Part in Public Art at Universal Design Playground, Danehy Park, Cambridge
With great enthusiasm, I share my recent discoveries of three public art projects within the relatively new Louis A. DePasquale Universal Design Playground: 1. Mitch Ryerson’s “Sensory Hilltop,” 2. NuVu Studio’s “Pipe Dreams,” 3. Dominic Killiany’s paintings. Here I simply build on background in earlier ART Outdoors posts about Mitch Ryerson’s playground design, but the other two were new to me: Nu Vu Studios, the Innovation School in Central Square Cambridge, and Dominic Killiany, an artist with autism. I hope the photos, quotes, and links add to your own explorations.
Art Outdoors 