Outside Art to create 18th mural

May 26—PLATTSBURGH — Another massive eye-catching art mural will be painted in Downtown Plattsburgh giving residents and visitors a welcoming vision.

"Especially for those coming in it says, 'Welcome to Plattsburgh,' and it creates a sense of identity in a place as well," City of Plattsburgh Mayor Chris Rosenquest said.

The city, in conjunction with Outside Art: Plattsburgh Public Art project, will soon begin work on the 17th mural to adorn the city landscape, with the group having created its 18th mural in Keeseville.

The latest Plattsburgh mural will be painted onto the large wall at 103 Margaret St., which is the outside wall to the building that houses Aleka's Restaurant off Court Street.

The new mural will celebrate the "Lake City," and the city hopes it will serve as a gateway to Downtown.

"Anytime we have outside art, or public art or an art culture, we do become a more attractive city," Rosenquest said.

LOCAL ARTISTS

The mural will involve multiple artists and children in the community. It will feature a scene of the Adirondack Mountains and Lake Champlain to be painted by renowned local artists, Andrew McGill and Giovanina Bucci in the style of a vintage postcard, the city says.

The mural will have text that includes, "Welcome to Plattsburgh, The Lake City."

A news release from the city said that a 2019 survey of community members for a downtown art wayfinding strategy identified three images favored by the local community that include: fish, boats, and rocks. All three will be included on the bottom section of the mural.

Local artists will paint indigenous fish (and Champy), a Mohawk canoe, and sailboats to represent the Mayor's Cup Regatta and lake recreation. Local children will be invited to paint rocks and plant life on the bottom of the mural.

Trained geologist, Kasey Garrand, will provide information about the types of native rocks and fossils to be included. The rocks, fossils, fish species, and plant life will be labeled to provide an educational and interactive element to the mural, the release said.

Outside Art has consulted with The Lake Champlain Research Institute at SUNY Plattsburgh, who has provided the artistic team with images and information including a Lake Champlain food web to help render these elements.

Building owners Allegra Mussen and Ryan Earle of Mussen-Earle Holdings LLC, said they were delighted to provide a platform for the, 'Welcome To Plattsburgh' The Lake City Mural.

"For years, we have watched Outside Art: Plattsburgh Public Art improve and brighten our downtown community. We are confident this new mural will be an extension of the already unique, artistic stamp that Outside Art is developing within our community," the owners said.

"We are so thankful for the efforts of various community members and organizations in revitalizing and enhancing our downtown area. We are excited to dine outside at Aleka's while watching the mural unfold."

Rosenquest said such a project could not happen without cooperation.

"These projects really do require and demand strong community partnerships," he said.

"So when when we do have these art groups, and building owners coming together, it's really really good for the community."

LOCAL FUNDING

Outside Art will be seeking grants and funding from local businesses and community members to help cover costs.

The Noon Rotary Club of Plattsburgh is a partner for the mural.

"Outside Art: Plattsburgh Public Art Project has transformed buildings all across our community, bringing beauty and character to each location," Noon Rotary Club President Ken Knelly said.

"To be a part of this newest addition is very special to our members, who take seriously the work of investing in our region."

Incoming Noon Rotary President Eric McDowell said, "Together, we will be working towards a beautiful new mural which will have a significant positive impact on our local community. By joining forces, we are able to leverage each other's strengths and expertise to achieve a common goal. We look forward to collaborating with Outside Art: Plattsburgh Public Art Project again and making a difference in the lives of those who live or visit our local community."

Outside Art co-founder Amy Guglielmo said the area needs to celebrate Lake Champlain and the community.

"This beautiful natural resource skirts the city and is worth honoring. The view we are capturing is an artistic rendering of the breathtaking view of the Adirondack Mountains from Plattsburgh City Beach. We chose the framework of a postcard to celebrate Plattsburgh as a great place to work, play, and visit." Guglielmo said.

Julia Devine, who co-founded Outside Art with Guglielmo, said they were grateful for the amazing local support they continue to receive.

"The art is free, but making it is not. We pay our artists, provide them with supplies and equipment, secure and clean the walls, pay for insurance, coordinate with the owners and the municipality, raise funds, write grants, promote it to the community, produce mural celebrations, etc.

"There's a lot of work that goes into producing a mural. When we first started, it may not have been clear as to how our murals stimulate the local economy, but after seven years, the impact is evident. The costs of making a mural are compounded when quantifying the dollars that go back into our local economy. Murals are a good investment for our community not only for the economy but for public safety, health, and education too."

BIG IMPACT

Rosenquest said the arts are a big part of the city in many ways.

"A focus on the arts is an economic driver to attract people here and to our community," the mayor said.

"It instills a sense of pride too. You drive around downtown and the city and you see public art. It's a point of pride for us."

Rosenquest said the Outside Art projects help create a sense of identity for the city.

"It goes back to creating a sense of identity for the city of Plattsburgh, and the sense of an arts and culture hub, if you will, and really setting ourselves aside and setting ourselves different from either other communities regionally or even other small communities like ours throughout New York State," he said.

"And so when we when we do big projects like this, it really does not only just put us on the map, but again, we look at this and we are proud of it, and it does create a sense of space for us."

The other murals in the city have been well received in recent years. Two years ago, the city welcomed the family of former NASA astronaut Michael Anderson who was killed in the explosion of Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003.

Anderson was a native of Plattsburgh and served in the U.S. Air Force at Plattsburgh Air Force Base.

His family was here July 4, 2021 for the official unveiling of Michael's portrait on Durkee Street painted by Brendon Palmer-Angell.

Rosenquest said the murals have become a notable part of the city.

"The other murals have been well received," he said.

"We certainly don't see this slowing down anymore... every year there's a new outfit or a project that comes along and it just continues to grow."

Work on the new mural will begin in early June and it should be done in mid-July.

E-mail: jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com

Twitter: @jlotemplio