Hello Friends! Well, the mural is still standing proud. I can't help myself but visit it daily, and I don't think I am alone. Kirkland Ave is undoubtedly getting more foot traffic and attention than it has in a while.

Check out my recent radio interview with (the infamous) Bill Dwight here.

On a nice fall day last week, Vanessa, Katherine, and I sealed the mural, but the sealer was a little too thick in some places, resulting in "partly cloudy" conditions. We plan on fixing this next week. If you want to give us a hand, drop me a line!

Here are some more photos from the unveiling & celebration...

I love the way light animates the mural at night...

Eric Hnatow playing/dancing/blowing minds (and cables)...

Eben and myself :-)

(many thanks to Vanessa Vargas for the photos and for all her lovely help during this project!)

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Well folks, the mural is complete.

It's hard to believe that after months of preparation, it took only 3 weeks to paint. And what a gorgeous job everyone has done! I hear echoes of pride and appreciation wherever I go. I've heard gasps of surprise and excitement as people pass and see it for the first time. I am very pleased with how this project has progressed, and am totally thankful for everyone who made this dream a reality. This mural is proof that beautiful things can happen when people work together. It is a testament to the power of community and imagination. It shows us that we can be surprised, challenged, and delighted by our surroundings. It proves that art can transform not only our physical community, but our social one as well. This mural has generated friendships, happiness, discussions, stories, pride, a sense of accomplishment, and new ideas.

The unveiling & celebration last week was great, and a heartfelt thanks goes out to everyone who made it happen and made it so damn fun!
(More pictures to come from the celebration!)

Here are some reactions & responses to the mural and project generated at the celebration from activities there:
-I like the mural because it looks like it's having a pretty good time up there, and also like a mountain.
-It reminds me how AMAZING color is.
-Like Beast.
-Inspired by the birdish monster thing that rules

-I walked in Kirkland Ave once and my feet turned into two pegasuses and flew off, dropping me into a giant plate of spaghetti.
-...Anyway, I finally walked on Kirkland this rainy, chilly evening of Oct 9 2009. I might have been a different person if I had known about Kirkland before...but I won't dwell on that fact. I'm with a new friend, on a new avenue...Kirkland will be in my thoughts.
-I would love to see an outdoor cafe there and lovely landscaping along the spiral staircase that dwells there now.
-Hey, so this may sound strange but I am deeply in love with your paint. I need to take it out to dinner. With of course your bequest. My intentions I assure you are honorable, you need not worry about the sanctity if your dear one. So I will call upon you at a reasonable hour forthwith and ask you with humility for your paints hand in this unholy union, Lord of Kent.

Here are some ideas for a title for the mural (in list form):
* you have hair like starlights * Hope For Piss Alley * Quintupiance * A Prize of Peace from the Moon * Alley Cascade * "you know how I know you are gay?" * Journey to Love * Buncha Crazy Crap on a Wall * Take me to your dealer! * Monster Truck * Fingers and Toes * Party Time, Excellent * A Human Mind * Saturn Returns * Hatin-Multidimensional * Blaine Comes for a Visit * Spaghetti Sunrise * Cookieface * A Smile Costs Nothing * Yooooo Brooooo !!!! * It's Happening in the Alley! *Alley Ants * Guardianway * The Spirit of Community Wall * Hungry, Hungry Hippo * Quetzacoatl Goes To New York * The Un-nameable * A Colored Mirror * Rhizome(s): (they're horitzonaltal root structures and also a philosophical theory of non-heirarchal/non-binary systems that spread out like a community) *Lagueberde, bagedrebre, bredegredre * The Bubble * 8 year olds w/crayons drawing ninja turtles all night * you better let me read these *

We've been getting a lot of press attention. Check out the Sophian's 10/8/09 article and the Daily Hampshire Gazette's 10/9/09 article about the project! Springfield's abc40 also covered the unveiling. Keep your eyes peeled in the Advocate and the Republican this week for features about the project. :-)

Finishing touches & Celebration on Friday!

Last week a group of kids came through the alley while a bunch of us were painting. "What is it?" one of the kids asked, pointing to the mural. I asked them what they thought it could be. "An owl!" yelled one. "No, a bug!" shouted another. "It looks like the yellow submarine" one of the girls chimed in. The smallest boy boldly said, "No, I know what it is- a celebration!"


As you can see, the mural is close to finished. Only a couple more hours of work and it's complete! Cross your fingers for good weather this week...

We will be having an official unveiling & celebration this Friday, October 9th, from 6-9pm. I'm really excited to celebrate this project and all the people who made it happen! There's going to be music all evening, featuring Ed Rosser, the wheeling piano guy, from 6-8pm. Eric Hnatow, the flashy electro guy, will be playing from 8-9pm (hopefully with light up jacket in tow!). There will be cider and cookies to munch on, as well as surprise interactive spectacles (ooh la la...) to enjoy. And don't worry if you haven't gotten your Golden Brick yet, you can still purchase them Friday night for $10. You seriously should definitely probably absolutely stop by. It's going to be an awesome time. Really. This event corresponds with Northampton's monthly Arts Night Out, so make sure you check out the other great art events happening all around downtown Northampton.