In early 2018, Anke Applebaum, Recreation Director for the Town of Hamlin, floated the idea to the Hamlin Town Board of having a mural painted on the west facing side of the Highway Garage building located at 1658 Lake Road. She felt that with the brand-new Library on one side of the old garage, and the Hamlin Town Hall on the other, the old building needed a bit of a facelift in order to better fit into the Town Park campus.
Murals were suggested by artist Justin Suarez, a mural painter from Rochester who works with the City of Rochester’s Wall Therapy program and often volunteers at Wild Wings bird sanctuary in Mendon Ponds Park. Many of Suarez’s murals portray images of wild animals and birds of prey and Applebaum thought these pictures would represent Hamlin’s rural character in an appropriate and contemporary manner. She also thought that this project would be an interesting way for youth artists to learn about the process of spray-painted murals and decided that integrating youth artist assistants would be the perfect way for them to learn the techniques of modern mural painting.
Towards the end of 2018, the Hamlin Recreation Department received a $5,000 art grant from the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts towards this project. In the spring of 2019, the Hamlin Town Board approved the image of a snowy owl flying in front of a background of Lake Ontario.
The Hamlin Recreation Department is currently seeking up to two youth volunteer artists to assist Suarez. The mural will be painted between September 8 and 18, and the dedication ceremony will take place on September 21, at noon, in front of Hamlin Town Hall.
Any youth interested in participating in this project may pick up an application at the Recreation Office at Hamlin Town Hall, the Hamlin Public Library, or request to have one sent online by emailing recreation@hamlinny.org with the subject line: Youth Mural Assistant. Applications will be accepted until July 31, 2019.
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