PAINTED MURALS
Murals facilitated by Chelsea Prospers are generally found in the downtown, but you'll find other new works elsewhere in the city too.
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Be sure to check out the Public Art Walking Tour for details about these and other works in Chelsea.
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The 2019 season was coordinated with Neighborways Design.
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The 2020 season that included painted and wheatpaste murals was coordinated by Amanda Hill and Carolyn Lewenberg. These artists facilitated online workshops and one-on-one technical support sessions to advance the artmaking skills of our local artists.
Felipe Ortiz
VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH FELIPE ORTIZ
East Boston artist Felipe Ortiz has been creating work on a national and international level. His subject matter is mostly nature, primarily migratory birds.
For the underpass of Route One at Webster Street he embraces the way people will be viewing the work while passing it at different speeds. His signature style called "Explosive Nature" dynamically elongates the design.
“Explosive Nature is colorful, vibrant, has lots of movement. It can be informative and playful as I depict an exchange of migratory local fauna in tropical settings.” Felipe explained, “The style lends itself for large areas with vehicles and pedestrians passing at various speeds.” His design onto both sides of the once dreary underpass provides dramatic gateway into Chelsea from the Revere Beach Parkway/Route 16.
Sasha Kuznetsova
VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH SASHA KUZNETSOVA
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For the section of Everett Avenue at the Route One underpass, Sasha Kuznetsova was tapped for a creative approach to beautify the jersey barriers and chainlink fence.
She painted in blues and greens to create an ocean bottom along the jersey barriers. For the top, she crafted fish and seaweed in quilted fabric. To delight pedestrians, she also attached a variety of treasures like shells, seaglass and water-worn pebbles inside the voids in the fence.
After a career as a biologist, two years ago Sasha Kuznetsova become freelance artist and illustrator full-time. Her work gravitates towards nature. “I love organic shapes and all the colors,” Sasha said.
Lena McCarthy
Lena McCarthy's designs celebrate the natural world. She says, “My vision in creating public art is to be a vehicle for pause, to create a space for people to feel their own softness and heartbeat, and ultimately inspire more connection and joy in the public space." Her mural under the Route 1 serves as a landmark on a key gateway into the downtown. Her design speaks to local efforts to address excess heat in an abstracted, allegorical form.
Liz LaManche
VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH LIZ LAMANCHE
Muralist Liz LaManche's creative hand-print can be seen throughout Division Street and in Chelsea Square.
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In 2019 as part of our launch of the Division Street Neighborway, at the intersection with Hawthorne Street she painted the Electric Chicken on one facade. She also oversaw designs executed paint-by-numbers style by the community in a series of art panels and on the rear facade of Tu Casa Restaurant.
In 2021, again with Neighborways Design, she provided the design concept and directed installation of roadway murals and creative crosswalks executed in both paint and thermoplastic across four blocks of Division Street.
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In 2022, Liz returned to extend the mural on Tu Casa to wrap around the building.
SIRXNS crew
VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH THE SIRXNS CREW
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The Sirxns Crew is a group of female identified and queer artists. In Chelsea they previously created a mural on Division Street for the rear entrance of North Suffolk Mental Health. Familiar local artists Jenna Feldman, Sury Chavez and Fernanda Lopez are joined by Sara Barrientos, Alison Miller, and Melissa Clarke. Their approach is centered on the interest in socially-engaged public art as expressive art therapists, educators, and activists.
“We believe in the power art holds to enliven spaces and connect people as well as amplify voices heard in community conversations.,” they say. “Approaching our mural making from a mixed media and a site-specific perspective allows us to work in a call and response collaboration with the community.”
Also with one-on-one engagement with passersby and Mohammed Saleem, the owner of Market del Sol, the artists shared coloring sheets for others to bring color into their own corner of the world.
RIXY Fernandez
Photo by Matt Frank.
Photo by Matt Frank.
Photo by Matt Frank.
Photo by Matt Frank.
Artist Rixy Fernandez was born in Boston and raised in Las Vegas. As a dedication to the many Latinx women in Chelsea, this piece is meant to be a reflection of their beauty and strength. Immigrant mothers (like the artist’s own) are what build our communities and extend our lineage in this grand garden.
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This wall overlooks the Luther Place parking lot and serves as the back drop for the stage at events in this location such as the Chelsea Night Market.
franz israel
Eight large animal characters from the series “Animalia” are featured on black background with white geometric figures. The digital art is printed on reflective aluminum and fluorescent glow in the dark paint creating a mesmerizing effect at night. Each character has a unique QR code that leads to a custom morph animated video and relaxing audio experience.
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Franz is an illustrator and digital artist. He is co-founder of The New England Gallery of Latin American Art (NEGLAA), a private art gallery dedicated exclusively to promote and represent the works of Latin American visual artists.
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The primary funder of this mural was a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council with additional funds from the City of Chelsea.
NELSON SALDANA
Nelson Saldana is a Chelsea artist. He’s inspired by the grace and rich meaning to be found in Renaissance art and mythology as well as the dynamic color and boldness of contemporary graphic novels and street artists.
This mural, on the rear of Peach's & Cream Bakery, a former Masonic Temple, speaks to the need to keep moving forward no matter what the world might bring. The female on guitar is a nod to his daughter and the power of music and creative expression.
YENNY HERNANDEZ
Yenny Hernandez is a Graphic Designer who lives in Salem, MA. She often combines colorful palettes inspired by her Latinx heritage with messages that speak to the Latinx community.
The mural design for this property is a lush dark jungle with vibrant, large letters proclaiming 'Hola Mi Gente' which translates to ‘Hello My People.’ The artist’s goal was to create a moment of identification, especially for the Spanish-speaking community, and a feeling of being seen and welcomed.
Photo by Matt Frank
Photo by Matt Frank
Photo by Matt Frank
KIM Villafuerte BARZoLA
Kimberly Villafuerte Barzola is a first generation Quechua artist who was raised in Salem, MA and lives in Roxbury, MA. Her work is dedicated to celebrating the livelihoods and humanity of all immigrants.
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Her mural on the side of the future El Dorado cafe is a scene common to Barzola's home in Peru and the property owners who emigrated from Colombia and the Dominican Republic. The mural pays homage to the hard work of coffee farmers.
Photo by Matt Frank
Photo by Matt Frank
DEMETRIUS FULLER
Demetrius Fuller teaches art in the Chelsea school system and is frequently a part of productions at the Apollinaire Theatre. For the rear of their building, the team behind the Chelsea Theatre Works tapped Fuller to refresh the mural with a landscape and a llama.
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Max pro
On the rear of Caribbean Liquors on Division Street, Max Pro created this mural in 2020. Born and raised in Chelsea, Max Pro's love for comic books and time travel fuel his creativity. With a nod to his social tag of @all_planets, a honey bee floats with outer space with Earth and Saturn far below. A potted plant is covered by a transparent bubble like an astronaut helmet.
Gisell builles (Trippylandia)
The O’Neil Playground Tot Lot was completed in 2020 and the two retaining walls were begging for a dramatic design. Artist Trippylandia took inspiration from the play structures and lighting that evokes a space ship and created a galactic environment with rockets, an astronaut, and each of the planets of our solar system.
Trippylandia (Giselle Builles) is a Lynn based photographer, graphic designer and fine art painter. Her work combines surrealism and psychedelic art, typically using vivid characters and colors. She’s inspired by Vincent Van Gogh, Tim Burton, Ekundayo and astronomy.
THE SIReNS CREW
The Sirens Crew (Fernanda Lopez, Jenna Feldman, Laura Smith, Alison Miller, Melissa Clark & Ruth Henry) is a collective of female identified artists who create socially-engaged public art as expressive art therapists, educators, and activists. Their approach uses nature imagery as a metaphor for imagining a better, co-created world.
The Sirens Crew uses the metaphor of a lotus flower to explore the strength and resilience of the Chelsea community and the people served by the North Suffolk Health Association.
Photo by Matt Frank
Photo by Matt Frank
Photo by Matt Frank
david fichter
Artist David Fichter is known for a distinctive, realistic style that features the people, architecture and other details reflective of the mural location. For over 30 years David Fichter has created community murals and mosaics.
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Installed in the Fall of 2021Chelsea Resilient traces the rich history of this Massachusetts city. Across four centuries this community has repeatedly risen to overcome challenges and tragedies, responding with energy, heartfelt mutual concern, and an unquenchable drive to rebuild. The struggles and successes of each generation of Chelsea residents echo across history with a message of courage, determination, and optimism. Our past, present and future are linked in a continuous call to action and grassroots response, the defining character of Chelsea and its people. See more on the mural's webpage.