Lombardi Underpass Mural at Assembly Row
My Largest Piece of Art to Date!
Having lived and worked in Somerville for over a decade I can truly say this is the place where I came into my own as an artist! That is why I was so excited to be selected by Federal Reality to design a mural for the 240ft+ Lombardi Underpass which flows directly into Assembly Row. My graphic style is commercially appealing but my design for the Lombardi Underpass actually references many of my own personal experiences here. This includes when friends and I watched fireworks from Prospect Hill Monument, the slide at Chuck E. Harris park, and a reference to the jazz fest held yearly at Powerhouse Park. Also when designing the mural it was important for me to choose bright, bold colors and use lots of angular lines and movement as a celebration of life and vibrancy in the community.
If you would like to read more the Somerville Times wrote an article about the process or check out the VOX POP interview I did with Somerville Media Center.
A BIG THANKS TO
PAINTERS:
Catherine Aiello
Brian Hart
Scott Getchell
Eliza Fichter
Naijah Garrett
Scott Getchell painting the orange line subway.
Kieran O’Brien (my father) measuring things.
Brian Hart working on the lift to paint Prospect Hill Monument
Catherine Aiello painting triple deckers.
Catherien Aiello measuring triangles
My dad working hard.
On the first day I rolled out the first panel
Early on in the process!
Working on geometry
The right light for a photo
Andrew O’Brien (my brother) volunteered for the day.
Community volunteers paint the bricks!
Community volunteer day!
Several community volunteers from East Somerville Main Streets and the city help out!
It was a joy to have so many people make a little bit of this mural theirs.
Community volunteers paint the sail boat
Community volunteers speckle small holes of color
Andrew (my brother) is a painter now!
On the last day I signed the mural
Finishing touches to the “Welcome to Somerville” part
