06/13/2024
So I wanted to try to wrap it all up in a nice neat ribbon and bow.
This has been the biggest honor of my career to work on this project. I thought my mural contributions had finished. And then we heard from the colored school museum and the women's suffrage groups saying they felt left out. I thought dang it, we should have included them.
Then Allen Fair decides to build another wall, with the support of the Pensell family to include these important stories because he felt we needed to include them. I think this speaks volumes about Allen's love and conviction to this entire town. And this project is a passion project for the community.
I had a lot of fun working with Allen on this project. We laughed a lot and told lots of stories throughout and I love the guy. Thanks for giving me the space to be an artist too.
to those who threw rotten tomatoes and hated. I made spaghetti sauce out of it. sorry. art and history is sometimes ugly and dirty. And we decided from the start of this project that we were going to be honest and raw about history. and thank you for your publicity helped fuel the project into something much bigger. privately I tried to win you over but don't really care if I didn't. :)
To HTAC and the board, sorry I have been a pain in the ass, but thank you for all your hard work and dedication.
Throughout the process of 5 years of being focused on something I felt strained, mentally taxed. I began reading about Michelangelo. He too felt strained and frustrated throughout his 5 year long epic project. No I am not comparing the alley to the sistine chapel. His is perfection, a masterpiece, done in the style of high renaissance in an architectural amazing church in Vatican City. But I found much comfort in reading about his frustrations working on his project. his madness. The alley is the best I can do in the style of street art in a neglected part of town on old cinderblock. But I tried to reach my limits
Thanks for the support from the city of havre de grace. They have hired and let me take leave of absence from work a few times throughout this process of this project to help the arts in town grow. They have been supportive and tolerant of me. Thanks of course to Mayor Bill Martin, but also E.J., Jeff, Steve, Dennis, Joe and the entire crew.
Thanks to all the volunteers and helpers. There were many, many people that contributed to this community project. thank you for helping paint but most of all thank you for your friendship and support. you motivated me beyond words.
Thanks to photographers Pat Venturino Photography - Venture Photos, Malgorzata Baker Photography, and Martha Kerch for helping to spread the word and connect to more people. Grateful to have worked with all of you.
and thanks to my entire family especially Darwin, River, Donna, Seamus, Mags, Owen and Finn. unfortunately art takes obsession sometimes, sacrifice, but without their love and support I wouldn't really have anything. I stopped drinking recently after years of having too much and I feel more present with them now.
So as fun and rewarding as it has been, I do look forward to a rest from it. tired. not burned out but close. unfortunately one of the curses of being an artist is not being able to really enjoy your work. but I have heard from enough of you to know that art and culture is valued and important and I have no doubt about that because community support has been abundant. so thanks!!!! That has been very special!!!! Grateful!!!!!
Thanks to Eddie Bobee and crew from On Top of Our Job roofing for building the last wall for women's suffrage, and building all the walls.
Truly a community project.
