Second mural festival brings more artwork to the downtown

TICONDEROGA | Three new murals downtown (with another on the next month) were welcomed to Montcalm Street on Saturday, June 6 as Essex County Land Bank and North Country Rural Development celebrated their second Artscapes: Walls Between Waters Mural Festival. For the second installment of public art meant to invigorate the downtown, help revitalize the economy, and improve quality of life for residents and visitors, three world-renowned professional mural artists lent their talents to create images that reflect a sense of place, honor the town's history, and pay tribute to a generational collective memory. The day began with the second annual Color Run, followed by food trucks and a Maker's Market with vendors along Main Street, mural dedications throughout the day, a beer garden, and Lang & I, the Chrissie Romano Band, and the Strumbellas taking stage to provide live music. "We are incredibly proud of the second year of Walls Between Waters and grateful that this work will continue," said NRDC President & CEO Nicole Justice Green. "This program continues to grow because our communities, partners, artists, musicians, volunteers, staff, and boards keep showing up and believing in the work." The three completed new mural installations locals will now see are located on the back of Fox & Fern at 119 Montcalm Street, on the side of the Punky Noodles/Champ Cafe building at 111 Montcalm Street, and at 176 Champlain Avenue, fully on display outside of Bain's Sunoco. Mandi Caskey (a.k.a. 'Miss Birdy') was the artist behind "Spirit of the Lake" at 111 Montcalm. Based in Columbus OH, Caskey brought her vibrant style that blends whimsical elements and bold colors. She draws inspiration from nature, folklore, and local culture, creating murals that resonate with viewers of all ages, and her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions and festivals from around the world. Caskey's mural reimagines Champ, the legendary creature of Lake Champlain, as a gentle guardian of the region's waters and forests. Rather than a monster of folklore, the dragon is portrayed as a peaceful giant whose body becomes part of the landscape itself. "The mural invites viewers to see Champ not as something to fear, but as a symbol of the deep connection between water, land, and the stories that grow from them," noted Alex Hall of A H Public Spaces Consulting, who once again oversaw the projects. "This mural directly aligns with community requests to see a Champ mural; it further aligns with the requests for local fungi to be featured in an artwork." At the intersection of Montcalm Street and Champlain Avenue, Florida's Steven Teller (who has traveled the world and created large-scale murals in cities around the globe) brought to life "Passage of Ticonderoga," paying homage to Ti's history as a literal and strategic gateway between the Adirondack Mountains, Lake George, and Lake Champlain. "The concept of Ticonderoga at the hub of connectivity and transit by train and steamboat is the overarching theme of this work. During the public engagement sessions, the community requested mural themes that might include the Delaware and Hudson Railroad and steamboat transportation," Hall explained. "According to the Bridge Line Historical Society, the history of the Delaware & Hudson Railroad's branch lines to Baldwin Dock and into the town of Ticonderoga, New York is a central part of Ticonderoga's story." Behind Fox & Fern, lifelong resident 103-year-old Belva Blood has been immortalized thanks to the talents of Netherlands-based artist duo Niels and Kaspar of Studio Giftig. Blood- portrayed with chrysanthemums physically around her- is meant to represent all the people of the region and the history, memories, and experiences that shape a community. "This work celebrates the generational memories and knowledge represented by a person who has lived in the area for 103 years," Hall remarked. "The white chrysanthemum incorporated in the design symbolizes purity, longevity, and the continuity of life across generations." As Blood looks up at the drifting flowers that cascade around her, the image renders a subtle reflection of how life, knowledge, and stories pass from one generation to the next endlessly renewed- like the chrysanthemum that returns to bloom each year. According to Green, misinformation about the the program and its funding, as well as a deep misunderstanding about how grants work, still plague the town. "It is important to be clear: these funds can only be used for public art, murals, and creative placemaking in places impacted by vacancy, blight, or disinvestment in Land Bank communities," Green explained, adding that this means the grants cannot be used for sidewalks, foliage, general building repairs, or infrastructure. "The selection of art sites, themes, and subjects has been discussed at length through artist talks, public meetings, and committee meetings, including more than nine public engagement opportunities last year alone," Green continued. "Sites painted last year have already seen vacancy reduced, new ownership, and private reinvestment. Rumors, negativity, and false information do not build communities; facts, engagement, and people willing to do the work do. Ticonderoga and all of our communities deserve that." The next mural in Ticonderoga will be created this July 12-14 when artist Shawn Dunwoody works with the Ticonderoga High School Art Club on Wicker Street. "Thank you to everyone who attended meetings, dedications, served on committees, welcomed artists, volunteered, and believed in this work," Green said. "And thank you to our staff and our boards for the constant support behind the scenes, to Alex Hall, our public art consultant, and to the incredible artists who brought this year's work to life, including Steven, Erika, Mandi, Kaspar, Niels, and everyone who helped make the festival such a success. Thank you also to The Strumbellas, Lang & I, and the Chrissie Romano Band for bringing such incredible energy to Jay and Ticonderoga and showing what public art, music, and community pride can do together."

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Second mural festival brings more artwork to the downtown

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