Pictured above is my first mural accomplished in a quaint New England seaside town of Old Orchard Beach, Maine, where it can be found on the exterior wall of a coffee and bagel shop fondly named Café 64. Right on the main strip with the mural facing the ocean horizon, the Ferris wheel, amusement park, and circling seagulls could be seen every morning while I painted from a ladder in the early hours of the day where I watched the sun rise break over a slumbering town. Living on the west coast of Southern Florida for the last 4 years, I’ve become accustomed to sunsets, and the nostalgia this little area offers is unmatched. I learned from the first day of painting in 90 degree July weather that standing on a ladder for hours on in a shiny parking lot results in an amazingly painful sunburn, especially when you’re facing the ocean; and so I started working throughout the night. Amazing coffee and pastries if you ever go to Café 64, and the owners are even sweeter than their baked goods; which are homemade and tend to switch out seasonally.
I am a graduate of the Class of 2020 from Ringling College of Art and Design based out of Sarasota FL, with my BFA in Illustration and Minor in Business of Art and Design. My original roots trace back to a tiny New Hampshire town comprised primarily of summer residents overflowing Lake Winnipesaukee and I was excited to be back in New England for a brief visit to accomplish this mural and see friends and family.
Painting all day, everyday, for a week outside while being surrounded by happy, full, sun burnt locals and making conversation with them made me excited about getting into the realm of mural work. Painting through the bustle of the day, sun-kissed tourists would come off the beach and go to dinner, until night would fall and the bars in the area come to life. Witnessing visitors and locals alike wake up and start their day with a coffee from this very shop made me feel very interconnected with the area and the impact a mural can truly have on a space. I hope to do many more murals and see where this career takes me.