New Mural on the Denholm Building

Article and picture courtesy of Worcester Magazine

Cambridge artist picked to paint mural on Denholm Building in Worcester

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Written by Walter Bird Jr.  ·  07/31/2014  ·  1:30 pm

Worcester's Public Art Working Group (PAWG) has tapped Massachusetts native Caleb Neelon, who was recently featured in Worcester Magazine's "Two Minutes With" feature, to paint a large-scale mural on the historic Denholm Building downtown. Neelon is expected to start Aug. 4.
The large-scale mural will be put on the Chatham Street side of the Denholm Building at 484 Main St. Two other murals are being planned for next summer, according to a press release from the Worcester Cultural Coalition (WCC) Thursday, July 31.
"Great cities deserve great art," Cultural Development Director Erin Williams says. "[The city] encourages and promotes the enrichment of the cultural landscape of the city through aesthetic improvements of public spaces, uniting artists and community and inspiring civic pride. This project is an important first step in that endeavor."
According to the WCC, Neelon has works throughout the state, in major American cities and in 25 countries. His projects have been done in such places as Turkey and Spain, the press release states.
"I'll be able to have an ongoing relationship with the work," Neelon says of the relatively close proximity of the project to his home in Cambridge.
The four-story Denholm mural will be among the largest Neelon has ever painted, with the artist saying, "Walls [like the Denholm's] have so much character and are exciting to paint."
Public participation is being sought for the project, which is sponsored by the city and PAWG. Funding is coming from Converse Inc. and the Worcester Rotary Club, with additional support from Consigli Construction, the WCC, the city, Economy Paint Supply and the Trustees of the Denholm Building. Anyone interested in assisting with the project from Aug. 4-15 is asked to contact Che Anderson at AndersonC@worcestermagov.
According to the WCC, a community celebration is being planned for when the mural is finished. Local youth will also be taking part in a project to complement the mural.