The existing mural at 230 Main St. in Biddeford is almost 10 years old and was created by Alex Kaminsky and Pete Vitello. It is going to be replaced. ABIGAIL WORTHING/Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier
BIDDEFORD — The Biddeford Public Art Committee is seeking proposals for a new mural to be painted at 230 Main St.
The mural is located on the side of the New Morning Natural Foods building, and currently depicts a countryside scape, starting street-side with the ocean and a lighthouse, and continuing down the building with the landscape, including a church and farm. Above the field is an airplane with a sign flying off the back that reads, “Eat Well for Health.”
The Biddeford Public Art Committee is a subcommittee of Engine, a local arts-based nonprofit organization that works in collaboration with the city of Biddeford in an advisory role. The committee members are chosen by the community and include ex-officio advisor and City Planner Greg Tansley, Director of Engine Tammy Ackerman, Biddeford resident and former city planner Donna Gadbois Tippett, chairman of Biddeford Historic Preservation Commission Aurelie Wallach, Paul Gosselein of Salmon Falls Architecture, former Biddeford High School Art Teacher Ron Gobeil, Martine Eon of the Downtown Development Commission, Holly Culloton of Heart of Biddeford, Ashley Zipp and Cat Dussault. The committee is not funded by the city of Biddeford.
According to Ackerman, Engine was approached by Bangor Savings Bank to help facilitate a new mural, as the current mural overlooks the parking lot for the bank. Bangor Savings Bank will fund the project through its Bangor Foundation.
“The mural is getting older, certain parts are starting to peel and it’s becoming faded,” Ackerman said. “They have a vested interest, and would like to see something fresh and new for the mural.”
The existing mural is almost 10 years old and was created by Alex Kaminsky and Pete Vitello. New Morning Natural Food store cashier Everett Van Keuren said that the artists have expressed interest in painting the mural again. Van Keuren also said the mural replacement was initiated by Bangor Savings Bank and not by New Morning Natural Food.
“A lot of people wanted to see something different,” Van Keuren said. “I think it will be nice to see something new in the area.”
The Biddeford Public Art Committee will facilitate the selection of the next artist to grace the 230 Main St. building. A request for proposals was released on the Engine website on March 20 as a “Call for Art,” and details requirements for the mural.
The budget for the mural is $6,000 for the 104-foot by 20-foot wall, which, Ackerman said, “doesn’t really go far.”
“The right person will be creative and resourceful. We have said on the request for proposals that we’re open to anything, including installations and panels,” Ackerman said.
The stipulations listed in the request are few, but do require the artist to provide their own ladders and scaffolding for the project, as well as ensure that the mural is graffiti proof, with a clear coat that also blocks UV rays to ensure the mural will last. As the wall is brick and mortar with a concrete skim coating, the request states that the wall will be prepped for the artist prior to the start, including a primer coat. While the artist is not responsible for maintenance of the mural, they are asked to come up with a plan for minimal upkeep moving forward.
As for theme, the only request is that the Bangor Savings Bank theme of “Communities Matter More,” be considered and incorporated in the design. Initial discussions included intentions of using interactivity for the mural, creating a place where passerby may want to take a “selfie,” however their were safety concerns because of the gradation of the pavement and a ledge brought about concerns. The prompt, however, is open to community-centric interpretation.
“When it comes to a public piece like this, I always caution against being too limiting,” Ackerman said. “We want to give people the chance to be creative.”
The deadline for proposals is mid-April, and while Ackerman has yet to receive any thus far, she expects most will wait and use the time to fine-tune designs. The Biddeford Public Art Committee helped facilitate the mural at 265 Main St., on the side of Elements Books Coffee Beer, and received 13 proposals for that project.
Following the deadline, the Biddeford Public Art Committee will work with Bangor Savings Bank to solidify the three top choices, which will then be voted on by Biddeford residents for the final decision.
Artists who wish to submit a proposal for the 230 Main St. mural can do so on the Engine website at www.feedtheengine.org/230-main-mural/.
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