These are the murals I created for Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield, ME (KVCC) via the Percent for Art Program run by the Maine Arts Commission. They are of a stained-glass style and represent the tools, trades, workers, and landmarks of the area and the school’s academic program.
My murals in Brunswick, ME received a lot of great feedback due to their color and stained-glass concept. I decided to expand on this concept and apply for several other projects. This KVCC project was actually my first competitive commission where I won the contract. In August of 2022, I was one of three finalists to present to the committee. Of course, I looked over the other finalists’ portfolios to see the competition, and I was happy to learn that all three of us had distinct styles. In other words, I wasn’t competing against other muralists. I believed that the committee’s decision was going to boil down to which project they liked best. Ultimately, they chose my two murals over a wood carving and installation piece.
The process wasn’t 100% smooth, as I learned some lessons for sure, but all the lessons were minor. The first lesson was how to hang the murals in my studio so that I could paint them. I tried sawhorses first before moving on to one of the frames that I drilled into my studio wall. Both options had their pros and cons, so a hybrid method is best for next time.
As you can see, both murals came together just fine. The installation was easy, too. I had help from someone at facilities at KVCC and a friend, and we installed both murals in a couple of hours.
Both murals are 4’x12′ and are Acrylic on Aluminum Composite (2023). The frames are select pine, with the frames themselves drilled into the wall and the murals sitting in the frames. Each mural has two panels of 4’x6′ each, with the two put together for one mural. I have two other methods of hanging these larger panels, but this method worked best for this location.
Kennebec Valley Community College is a school that teaches skilled trades. Since my family all work (or worked with regards to older generations) in the trades, I wanted to honor what KVCC teaches since Maine needs these skills. Also, I wanted to show these workers working on landmarks in the area, so they could feel proud of the work they do. Finally, the hallway where these are located in the Whitney Wing is a soft, neutral grey. I suspect one of the reasons my project was chosen is because I added a lot of color to the area. This was intentional, and I’m glad my project was chosen.
