Mural Day!
Dressing up The Place
Mill Forge Makerspace is located in the back half of the old Winslow Brothers & Smith mill and tannery. The complex once boasted two railroad spurs and more than 30 buildings, but over the decades, some sections fell into disrepair, some had to be demolished, and at least one reportedly exploded in the 1980s. Our building, although structurally sound and industrially beautiful, looked, in the words of one recent visitor, “a little bit sketch, y’know?”
The property has been cleaned up, the interior of Building 46 has been filled with tools and customized, and new signage is on its way, but we really needed something to make the facility stand out. We needed a way for Mill Forge to set itself apart a little and convey the creativity of our members and the tools and tech we provide.`
We mocked up some ideas for a mural along one side of the building, and began planning for a painting week (or two) to give the inside some character and bring the exterior art to life.
Our Neighbor Alvin
Although we had initially been thinking of using a projector to help transfer art to the exterior, a conversation with one of our artistic neighbors at Norwood Commerce Center took us in a different direction.
Alvin Acóma Colón, founder of Acóma Art and owner of the Pump House gallery at Winsmith Mill, has a long career of creating gorgeous street art and murals. With his experience creating collaborative artworks with school and other groups, Colón suggested we work together on the series of images with his layout and outlining leading the way, our Mill Forge team supplying the fill-in and touch-up as we went.
The Mural Crew
On Saturday, April 19 and Sunday, April 20th, we called out some volunteers, received some generously lent equipment from the Norwood Commerce Center team, and got to work. All together, a crew of six worked for 10 hours in some of the most beautiful spring weather the Boston area has seen so far this year.
We think the overall effect is pretty stunning, if we do say so ourselves, and we can say with some confidence that the place definitely seems a little less sketch.
