Artist Andrew Fearnside meets with MainStreet Executive Director Jacquelyn Connolly regarding the mural that will be painted in the alley next to L.A. Cantina in Central Park Square. Courtesy/MainStreet
MAINSTREET News:
Los Alamos MainStreet and Creative District has announced the painting of a vibrant new mural and community space in the alley next to L.A. Cantina in Central Park Square
This project aims to beautify and enhance the area, bringing together shade structures, solar lighting, art and eventually, seating.
The first step started June 11 with the beginning of a mural created by New Mexico-based artist Andrew Fearnside. The work spans a 14’ x 40’ area.
The setting is a fantastical Pajarito Plateau, where the heat of early summer is represented by the vibrant sunset hues of orange, pink and yellow that set the tone for the work and reflect a radiant depiction of the area’s natural beauty. The mural showcases local flora and fauna, including the Black-Tailed Jackrabbit leaping over the moon and silhouettes of birds native to the Pajarito Plateau.
“I love the hare as a symbol of the everyday human – clever, quick and powerful, the hare isn’t easy prey for its predators,” Fearnside said. “And yet it is one of the lynchpins of mammalian life in the desert.”
Fearnside, a celebrated artist residing in Albuquerque since 2001, brings his extensive background in painting and drawing to this project. A graduate of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Fearnside’s work includes several permanent public murals across New Mexico, temporary window displays and various exhibitions throughout Albuquerque.
The local mural will take approximately two weeks to execute and plans for the area will include the addition of shade sails, lighting and seating. These enhancements will provide a comfortable and inviting space for community members to gather, enjoy the mural and engage in outdoor activities.
A grant from the New Mexico Resiliency Alliance supports this first in the Pop Up Los Alamos project series, with materials support from Metzger’s Hardware and Central Park Square. The next project, in collaboration with the Los Alamos Arts Council, will feature a postcard-inspired mural welcoming visitors to Los Alamos. Details about the location and an artist call for entry will be announced in late summer or early fall 2024.
The public is invited to visit and enjoy this new mural, and all are encouraged to participate and support future projects that continue to enrich the Los Alamos and White Rock community spaces.