Community Ties - New Mural Project
Community Ties - New Mural Project
Artist Alex Derwick to Create the Next Public Mural in Olean, NY
Community should mean a great deal to all of us. It’s where we grow up, who we raise our families with, the place we plant our roots. It means so many different things and keeping it not just clean and beautiful but inclusive and safe for all citizens when they come together. In that regard, the Tri-County Arts Council (TCAC) always has great ideas in the works.
Last year, artist Meg Saligman worked on a project that encompassed all four sides of the Liberal Arts Center building at the SUNY JCC Cattaraugus County Campus. Her “The Heart of Olean” mural had about 10% of the Olean population working on it with her crew and herself, proudly creating a display based on an American poet but also an Olean native.
This year artist Alex Derwick brought his mural proposal to the Arts Council’s attention and it was approved to be created this summer. It will be featured on the wall of the William O. Smith Rec Center in War Vets Park. The theme of his mural: “Community Ties.” ellicottvilleNOW had a great opportunity to speak with Paula Bernstein, Executive Director of the Tri-County Arts Council and the artist himself, Alex Derwick about the project.
eNOW: How did you come up with the "Community Ties" idea for the mural?
ALEX: A few years ago, a buddy of mine, Andy Mellon, was asking if I'd be interested in scouting locations in Olean for a potential mural. I immediately came up with a sketch based on my own memories of learning to ice skate at the recreation center; I can remember looking down at my skates and feeling like tying my laces was an impossible task - a small but worrisome moment for a kid. The beauty of a space like the recreation center or the basketball court or any space where physical activities are being held, there's usually someone there to help you learn the ropes. And the act of helping someone tie their shoelaces is a way to help build a kid's confidence.
eNOW: What does being able to paint this mural mean to you?
ALEX: Being a resident of Baltimore now, coming home is a special occasion. I helped Meg Saligman paint her mural last summer at JCC for 3 months and felt from the community that it was not only accepted but that public art was in fact greatly wanted in Olean. Growing up in Olean, I unfortunately did not feel that drawing or painting was seen as a worthwhile career. Falsely believing I had nothing to offer Olean pushed me away from wanting to make something in participation with my hometown. But my family and people like Kellie O'Brien, my high school art teacher, reminded me that there was a community supporting me while I was starting on my artistic path. Painting a large but intimate mural in Olean would feel like a personal homecoming with the place that softly steered me.
eNOW: Do you have any other large scale projects (or small ones) in the works?
ALEX: On top of "Community Ties," I have two large projects that are currently under NDAs, but one is a large mural in downtown Philadelphia and the other is a collaboration with a skateboard company. In my downtime, I'm slowly chipping away at a graphic novel I'm writing and illustrating that won't be complete for at least 2 more years. But I'm most excited about the feature film I'm editing and assistant directing with my partner, Van Tran Nguyen. We started filming in Olean last summer, flew to Vietnam in December to film there, and will finish shooting in Maryland next month. Our plan is to wrap up visual effects, music, and editing for the movie by the end of summer 2023. This is a follow-up to our previous collaboration, a short film called "Erie County Smile" which is available to watch on PBS.
Alex is very excited to begin the work for the Olean mural when he returns from his current project in August. the Tri-County Arts Council is excited as well.
eNOW: How does TCAC feel about the murals?
PAULA: Ideally, we would like to have a mural project each year going forward. Any artist that is interested is encouraged to apply by reaching out to us, as it is a long process for approval. Alex actually submitted his idea back last summer.
eNOW: Do you have specific requirements for the designs?
PAULA: The only thing we’d like is for the artist to make sure their design has community representation. We want them to follow their own inspiration, their own vision, while also incorporating a feeling of connection and togetherness for our local surroundings. That’s why Alex’s design appealed to us on so many levels. It’s not just about the shoelaces but the point that people will always be there to help each other.
Thank you to both Paula and Alex, for taking the time to share their feelings on this project. We can’t wait to see it in person once it’s finished.
