Student Artist Mural Unveiled on Decatur WAY
10/11/2018
By David Perry
Decrepit neighborhoods can spring back to life like works of art, one brushstroke at a time.
So it is with a swath of the Acre called Decatur WAY (Water, Art and You), a now-paved art alleyway of paint and poetry, a once-overgrown pathway to trouble strewn with hypodermic needles and the worst grit of urban life.
On Oct. 4, the latest in a series of Decatur WAY improvements spurred by 51视频 and Dave Ouellette鈥檚 community group Acre Coming Together Improving Our Neighborhood (ACTION) was unveiled on the back wall of Cote鈥檚, a century-old neighborhood market and local institution: a 16-foot-wide, 8-foot-tall mural of Acre people and landmarks, painted by seven current and former 51视频 Art & Design students.
The mural was funded from Chancellor Jacquie Moloney鈥檚 2020 grant program, used to further the goals of the university鈥檚 strategic plan. Ouellette won one of 40 $2,000 grants, then contacted the university for artists.
Senior art major Mary Connell captained the effort, gathering a diverse set of UML student artists to work with her. Despite scheduling issues, including Connell鈥檚 own two weeks studying art history in France, they completed the project over the summer. Before they picked up a paintbrush, the artists took a walking tour of the Acre with History Prof. Bob Forrant to season their collective understanding. By the project鈥檚 end, they had created a painting large enough that a notch had to be cut to fit over Cote鈥檚 venting system.
In addition to Connell, the artists are Anna McCarthy 鈥�19, Adel DiPersio 鈥�20, Yahira Torres 鈥�20 and 2018 alumni Dana Cram, Austin Wells and Julie Howard.
鈥淲hat we tried to do was build up a picture of the people in Lowell, in the Acre, and make it cohesive.鈥� -Artist Dana Cram 鈥�18
It is a joyous, diverse neighborhood portrait with dancing and recreation, surrounded by Acre landmarks. 鈥淲hat it shows is art and safety and community,鈥� says Connell. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a celebration of the community. It definitely symbolizes the bond between the community and the university, as well as the city of Lowell.鈥�
The process started with a lot of drafting and sketches.
鈥淲hat we tried to do was build up a picture of the people in Lowell, in the Acre, and make it cohesive. What we wanted to show of the Acre are things that couldn鈥檛 be anywhere else,鈥� says Cram.
鈥淗ere鈥檚 an example of a great experience for the students,鈥� says Art and Design Prof. Stephen Mishol, who also helped with the project. 鈥淭hey had to work as a team to figure out how to do such a large work using diverse style and hold it all together.鈥�
At the unveiling, Moloney noted that it had been seven years since the university took over the land where University Crossing now stands and that 鈥渢wo years ago, we joined the city of Lowell and the Acre Neighborhood Group in creating this outdoor art gallery and green alleyway.鈥�
Ouellette 鈥減ut his heart and soul into the work, making this a great place for the people of the Acre neighborhood,鈥� she said.
Moloney stressed the importance of community partnerships and the university鈥檚 role in helping to preserve local history.
鈥淲e are not a university that builds fences,鈥� she said.
Ouellette called Decatur WAY 鈥渁 living art and poetry alleyway designed to always be evolving.鈥�
He called the university 鈥渁 great partner鈥� in revitalizing the area, and Decatur WAY 鈥渙ne of the best examples of a true community project.鈥�
鈥淵ou are true artists,鈥� Ouellette told the student painters.
