Baltimore, Md. Local community artists and volunteers will assemble on June 5 to paint Baltimore City’s first horizontal mural at the intersection of Hamilton Avenue and Harford Road.
The mural – a sunflower with a compass embedded in the center – will cover the entire middle portion of the intersection between the crosswalks on either side. A crew of approximately 15 volunteers will paint the 2,000 square foot street surface that morning, barring any weather-related interruptions. The project will take advantage of the closure of Harford Road for the neighborhood’s annual Indie 900′ Downhill Derby, which itself attracts more than 1,000 spectators and participants.
“The Hamilton neighborhood has a rich tradition of supporting local industry, whether it is farming, cuisine, or the arts,” stated Whitney Frazier, neighborhood resident and the lead artist on the project. “This mural is going to make the intersection a focal point, and we expect that it will draw attention from artists and residents in communities across the City,” added Regina Lansinger, Director of Hamilton Lauraville Main Street.
Notably, more than 18,000 commuters use Harford Road every day, according to the Harford Road Corridor Study of 2008, which will help ensure the mural’s visibility in the neighborhood.
The project represents the hard work of numerous partners and agencies, including New Lens, Hamilton Lauraville Main Street, the Baltimore City Department of Transportation, and the Marion I. & Henry J. Knott Foundation. In addition, Hamilton Arts Collective and Hamilton Gallery, both of which are located at the intersection where the mural will be painted, have been instrumental in shaping the vision and plans for the project.
“Murals like these have been done in cities like Portland, Oregon with great success,” shared M. Gregory Cantori, Executive Director of the Knott Foundation. “They provide a unique platform for bringing the community together – whether the goal is related to neighborhood beautification, pedestrian and vehicle safety, civic involvement, or simply artistic appreciation.”
Rebecca Yenawine, Executive Director of New Lens, a youth-driven social justice organization that makes art and media about issues where a youth perspective can inspire change, commented on the goals of the project: “We hope that this project will be successful in helping adults and youth to work together in slowing down traffic, in bringing new beauty and inspiration to the neighborhood, and creating opportunity for larger community celebration and participation.”
Learn more about New Lens at www.newlens.info
Learn more about Hamilton Lauraville Main Street at www.hamiltonlauravillemainstreet.org
Learn more about the Knott Foundation at www.knottfoundation.org