Local teen leaves lasting artistic legacy

DANNEMORA | While many local teens spent their summers idling by the pool and soaking in the downtime, Shea Frenyea-Provost brought her talents to life, leaving a lasting legacy for years to come. After five weeks and countless hours, the 15-year-old's artwork is now on display for all to see as the Village of Dannemora's first outdoor mural- symbolic of the ongoing efforts to reinvigorate the village and all it has to offer. "The beautiful Luna moth was selected based on its link to our area, and the Luna moth signifies ️new beginnings, resurrection and determination," Village Trustee and Beautification Committee Lead Coordinator Shaun Akin as he applauded Shea's efforts and the impressive final result. The new 8-by-8-foot mural was officially erected in People's Park on Cook Street in mid-August, now canvassing the exterior wall of Village Wine & Spirits courtesy of their own collaboration on the project. For the budding young artist, the project took her out of her comfort zone- going from colored pencils and sketchbooks to her first life-size mural- the first in what will now become a series of projects between the local teen and village. With her mom active on the village's growing Beautification Committee and grassroots community rallying, the Saranac Central sophomore also got involved with volunteering, joining her family in supporting the various new initiatives, like Outdoor Movie Nights and the highly applauded July Village Fest. After bagging popcorn and cotton candy at events and joining planning meetings with her mom, Shea's casual doodles and drawings caught the eye of another local village activist and artist. After seeing Shea's sketches during the early stages of the mural planning, Tina Leduc was awed by her talent and knew she was a perfect fit for the project. With the help of her mom, Kelly Frenyea-Light, stepdad and siblings, Shea was soon set up with her very own garage studio, where she spent weeks researching the Luna moth, tracing its outline, scaling the different dimensions and perfecting each final intricate detail. "I used a projector to trace the moth and researched the constellations to our area and native plants and the rest I really ended up doing freehand," Shea said, pointing to the fine lines of the climbing vines and moth antennas. While she dabbled in various artforms in her youth, Shea said her interests peaked during her freshman year Studio Art class and "that's where I really started practicing new styles and doing more." As she now looks forward to a painting class this school year, the teen said the experience with the mural challenged her skills, comfort and confidence. "I knew it was going to up there for years to come, and I really wanted to put everything I could into it," she said. For the Beautification Committee and residents alike, her work has brought a welcomed new addition to the park while speaking volumes about her bright artistic future ahead. "She's just such a natural," said Leduc, who offered beginning guidance and help with the black backdrop, otherwise leaving the creativity and design to the promising young artist. "I feel this is just the beginning for her. I know it is. We're going to see so much from her." Talks are already underway for Shea to help with some new creative crosswalks and even more possible artwork at other venues in the village. While the mural and symbolic photo backdrop is already attracting visitors and community accolades alike, it will officially help draw a crowd during the Beautification Committee's End of Summer Movie Night featuring Big Hero 6 on the big screen at the Cook Street gazebo Friday, Aug. 26. Shea herself will also be on hand volunteering as the community celebration promises popcorn, cotton candy, ice cream, giveaways, a food truck and more. The fun begins at 6 p.m. with the movie showing at dusk.

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Local teen leaves lasting artistic legacy

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