"Heritage," by Don and Paul Blanton, 1968 Repainted by Kiayani Douglas, 2021
In 1968, when civil rights protests were occurring across the country, including in Springfield, brothers Don and Paul Blanton made their way through the crowds and National Guard to a storefront in the center of Winchester Square and asked if they could paint a mural. They wanted to make a positive contribution to the activism and struggle for equal rights, so they painted a mural to express pride in African-American culture and heritage. By 2021 the mural was in extreme disrepair.WMass artist Kiayani Douglas, with the support of Don Blanton, and dozens of neighborhood residents repainted the mural in 2021, ensuring its celebrated place in the community for another 50 years.Kiayani Douglas is an interdisciplinary portrait artist who uses ceramics, painting, drawing, and installation to curate conversations rooted in race, history, and privilege. In addition to creating this art, she teaches ceramics and studio art to high school-aged students.This mural was partially painted using the GoodSpace Method of community-engaged mural making. Learn more about GoodSpace Murals here.IG: @_iamkaydouglasThis mural is located at 727 State St.
"Our Story" by Betsy Casañas, 2021
Betsy Casañas is a visual and public artist, an educator, a community activist, and an organizer. She is the director of A Seed on Diamond Gallery and founder of Semilla Arts Initiative. Betsy has 24 years of experience in the arts and has created over 40 murals worldwide.“As a Latina artist who has been working in communities of color around the world, I understand the importance of the people in these communities to see themselves reflected in the artwork and in the leaders of their communities. We have been depicted in a negative light on social media, news, and television as second-class citizens who should be feared. I believe it is our obligation as artists to reflect the times we are living in, and to highlight the people’s stories and change the narrative that has been created for us. By normalizing and humanizing our collective stories we create communities that are more tolerant.”This mural, on the side of the library, was painted with the help of Springfield residents and library patrons. This mural was partially painted using the GoodSpace Method of community-engaged mural making. Learn more about GoodSpace Murals here.IG: @bzcasanasThis mural is located at 765 State St.
Wall of Fame, by various artists 2021-2024
The Wall of Fame celebrates the pioneering men and women, past and present, from this neighborhood, Mason Square. The honorees have been selected by a committee of residents and leaders of the Mason Square Community, and the portraits are painted by WMass portrait painters. Each year through 2024, new portraits will be added to the wall.Honored on the wall, from left to right, are:Ronn Johnson by David JacksonJay Griffin by Joy D HoulderGeorge Williams by Carmen Oyola CallenderRuth Loving by Carmen Oyola CallenderHelen Coulter Harris by Nayana LaFondHenry Thomas by Susan RianoLaJuana Hood by Joy D HoulderJeanne Bass Lotta by Elizabeth StoneRay Jordan by Robert Bruce MaslaRobert Jackson by Elizabeth StoneRebecca Johnson by Elizabeth StoneHenry Twiggs by Nayana LaFondIda Flynn by Susan RianoBud Williams by Robert Bruce MaslaBen Swan by Robert Bruce MaslaSam Bolden by Joy D HoulderThis mural is located at 827 State St
"The Magical Sancocho," by Pablo Kalaka, 2022
“Five people of different ages, genders, and skin colors come together to celebrate what I call the “magical sancocho”. Sancocho is a wonderful soup common in Latin America with a number of flavors and ingredients that occur simultaneously in great harmony despite its diversity. It is an apt metaphor for Latin America. It is magical in the sense of magical realism, a mainly literary and very Latin American genre that explains reality without forgetting that our countries and continents are marked by a magical vision that continues to explain reality in all its truth. I envision these characters as migrants, and instead of potatoes and meat coming out of the stew pot, it is the sun of their places of origin and the neighborhoods from which they came. What they have on their table are their memories, the beloved things that define them as people and that are in their present even though they no longer have it with them. - the sea, fish, the vegetation, a coquí, the infinite colors of the Caribbean and South America, music, etc.” – Pablo KalakaPablo Kalaka is a painter, muralist, and illustrator. His murals can be seen in Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Cuba, Mexico, France, Germany, Spain, and the US.IG: @pablokalakaThis mural is located at 827 Sherman St.
"Tribute to Black Women," Nelson Stevens, 1974 Recreated by the Community Mural Institue, 2022
This mural was originally painted in 1974 by the late Springfield resident Nelson Stevens and was recreated by the Community Mural Institute (CMI), with support from a NEFA Public Art for Spatial Justice grant.In 2022, during 2 community paint parties and hundreds of studio hours, the CMI artists and over 300 Springfield residents carefully laid down the 95 colors of paint contained in this mural and the Wall of Black Music. Many of the people who helped paint had known Mr. Stevens, and their work was done as a labor of love, an opportunity to grieve, and a commitment to honor this incredible man by ensuring his work would be permanently returned to the community.In 1975, Mr. Stevens said “Recognizing that the least we can do is to leave our communities more beautiful than we found them, we have decided to do more… Some call them murals, others large paintings; but all know them as force fields activated in the service of our liberation.”This mural was partially using the GoodSpace Method of community-engaged mural making. Learn more about GoodSpace Murals here.IG: @community.mural.instituteThis mural is located at 790 State St, Catherine st side.
"Ruth E. Carter," Concept and art direction by Ruth E. Carter Illustration and design by Salem Beiruti
This mural honors the legacy and achievements of Springfield’s own iconic costume designer, author, and two-time Oscar Award winner Ruth E. Carter. The mural depicts Ms. Carter as a young woman learning and studying in Springfield, and portraits of her and her star on Hollywood Boulevard. It also showcases some of the many costumes she designed for iconic films including Black Panther, Coming to America, Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, Selma, and more.At the mural unveiling, Ms. Carter shared, “I’m proud to make history on behalf of Springfield and bring history back to the city with this beautiful mural! My family and friends in Springfield helped me become an artist. And to see that young artist’s story on display in this mural, born here, that young girl who worked so hard to make her dreams come true - this brings tears to my eyes. It’s amazing to see. This mural will inspire another person from Springfield to pursue their dream in the same way.”IG: @therealruthecarterThis mural is located at 55 Catherine St.
"Say Their Names," Wane One, Nero & Souls NYC
Say Their Names includes the names of the more than 60 unarmed People of Color who had been unarmed at the time they were killed by police in the 12 months prior to the painting of this mural (from June 1, 2019, to May 31, 2020). The mural also includes the names of Springfield residents killed by police. The names and demographics of those killed, as well as the circumstances of their death, were drawn from the research by Mapping Police Deaths.The mural was painted by Wane One, Nero, and SoulsNYC in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. Wane One splits his time between Springfield and the Bronx, and has painted murals around the world for the last 30 years. His work is featured in over 30 books and he has designed for leading brands including Nike, Reebok, New Balance, and RYU. This is one of 4 murals Nero has painted in Springfield, and one of two murals Souls NYC has painted in Springfield.IG: @waneonecod @uncle_ro @soulsnycThis mural is located at 3 Rutland St.
"The Beloved Community." by Nero and Souls NYC 2021
ro and Souls NYC celebrate the concept of the "Beloved Community," a term coined by philosopher-theologian Josiah Royce in the early 20th century. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. popularized and gave deeper meaning to the term, envisioning it as an attainable goal through nonviolence. In the Beloved Community, poverty, hunger, and homelessness are unacceptable, as international standards of decency prevail. Racism, discrimination, bigotry, and prejudice are replaced by inclusive sisterhood and brotherhood. International conflicts are resolved peacefully, through reconciliation rather than military power. Love, trust, peace with justice triumph over fear, hatred, war, and military conflicts. This mural was partially painted using the GoodSpace Method of community-engaged mural making. Learn more about GoodSpace Murals here.NERO: Nero's passion for exploring his own artistic talents began as a pre-teen in New York when he was inspired by the city's vibrant street art. He began painting walls in 1994 and working as a tattoo artist in 2006. In Springfield, he painted Flowers in 2019, collaborated on the Say Their Names mural in 2020, and a mural for the MLK Social Justice Charter School in 2021. IG: @uncle_roSOULS NYC: Born and raised in the South Bronx, Souls NYC mentors youth and leads art workshops in NYC. A dedicated spray paint artist, Souls integrates spray paint methods and history into his murals. IG: @soulsnycThis mural is located at 3 Rutland St.
"Wall of Black Music," Nelson Stevens, with his student Clyde Santana, 1974. Recreated by the Community Mural Institute, 2022
The Wall of Black Music was originally painted by Nelson Stevens in 1974, in collaboration with Clyde Santana, a student of Mr. Steven’s at the time. It was recreated by the Community Mural Institute in 2022 with support from a NEFA Public Art for Spatial Justice grant and the assistance of hundreds of people who came to pay tribute to Mr. Stevens.In the 1970s, Springfield was home to the only collection of murals designed in the AfriCOBRA aesthetic, created under the direction of an AfriCOBRA member, Nelson Stevens.After Mr. Stevens's passing, Mr. Santana worked with the Community Mural Institute to assist in finalizing the color palette, and sharing with the mural team the neighborhood vibe when the murals were first painted, the color theory they used, their techniques for mixing colors, the music they were listening to, and the people they met while painting. This mural was painted using the GoodSpace Method of community-engaged mural making. Learn more about GoodSpace Murals here.IG: @community.mural.instituteThis mural is located at 1 Montrose St.
"Preacher Man," by GoodSpace Murals and The Community Mural Institute
This mural honors Randolph H. Lester, a beloved Springfield man, known to residents in Mason Square as “Preacher Man.” The mural was designed by GoodSpace Murals for the Community Mural Institute. 3 Springfield artists, Frankie Borrero, Emma Mesa-Melendez, and Martin Johnson were trained in polytab mural installation and mural painting during the installation.Randolph H. Lester was a well-known community member who was fondly nicknamed Preacher Man. Mr. Lester passed away in 2017. There are many stories of Preacher Man, and in this neighborhood people say, “If you’re from here, you know who Preacher Man is.”The Community Mural Institute (CMI) is an intensive training for artists and emerging muralists to learn techniques for community-engaged mural creation. The CMI includes classroom instruction and hands-on training, networking with established muralists, and supplemental training opportunities for the participants. The CMI builds a community’s capacity to create murals in a cost-efficient way and creates a sustainable way to meaningfully engage the community in the design and painting of the murals. This mural was painted using the GoodSpace Method of community-engaged mural making. Learn more about GoodSpace Murals here.IG: @community.mural.institute @goodspacemuralsThis mural is located at 1081 State St.
"Laundry Time Pool Party," by Gabriela Sepulveda, 2022
The 3rd-grade class of DeBerry Elementary School helped to paint this playful mural on a neighborhood laundromat. The mural imagines a water park made from washers and dryers, run by animals.Gabriela Sepulveda is originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and now lives in Springfield. She creates works that resonate with the stories of diverse lives, transcending barriers and fostering unity. With a degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a Masters from Atlantic University College, Gabriela's artistic style is influenced by a range of sources, including Moebius, Camilla d'Errico, Pop Surrealism, Science Fiction, and Comics. Her interest in storytelling brings depth to each creation, transporting observers to imaginative realms where emotions and intellect intertwine. Among her accomplishments, Gabriela earned "The People's Choice" honor at The D'amour Museum of Fine Arts Community Gallery, a testament to her ability to create deep connections through her portraiture. She is a graduate of the Community Mural Institute and has collaborated on murals alongside respected artists such as Gretta McClain and Pablo Kalaka.This mural was painted using the GoodSpace Method of community-engaged mural making. Learn more about GoodSpace Murals here.IG: @theivorybunnyThis mural is located at 169 Hancock St.
"Gardening the Community," Ryan Murray, 2021
Ryan created this mural to celebrate Gardening The Community, a food justice organization engaged in youth development, urban agriculture, and sustainable living to build healthy and equitable communities. GTC operates a training program created for youth from around the Mason Square neighborhood and beyond to grow fruits and vegetables on vacant and abandoned lots. Youth receive a stipend and are taught principles of urban sustainable living and urban agriculture. The food that is grown is sold at the Walnut Street Community Farm Store, the Mason Square Farmers Market, local restaurants, and bodegas. Youth also bring food home to their families. To encourage a more sustainable lifestyle, all produce is delivered to market and stores with bikes and heavy-duty bike trailers to reduce our carbon footprint and build healthy lifestyle choices.Ryan received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University in 2014 and is currently located in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he does freelance graphic design and paints overused vinyl records. He is a graduate of the Community Mural Institute and engaged dozens of neighborhood residents in the painting of this mural. This mural was partially painted using the GoodSpace Method of community-engaged mural making. Learn more about GoodSpace Murals here.IG: @rywandojonesThis mural is located at 1106 State St
