>> IF YOU'VE BEEN WALKING AROUND DOWNTOWN SPRINGFIELD RECENTLY,
THINGS MAY LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
THAT'S BECAUSE 35 LOCAL AND NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED
ARTISTS HAVE SPENT THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS CREATING 27 PUBLIC
WORKS OF ART -- INCLUDING 10 LARGER THAN LIFE MURALS ON
VARIOUS BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN.
ITS CALLED “FRESH PAINT SPRINGFIELD”, THE FIRST ANNUAL
MURAL FESTIVAL IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS, AND PRODUCER DAVE
FRASER BRINGS US THE STORY.
>> JOHN SIMPSON IS NO STRANGER TO PAINTING MURALS IN DOWNTOWN
SPRINGFIELD.
HE IS THE ARTIST BEHIND THE FACES IN COURT SQUARE BUT
EARLIER THIS MONTH HE COMPLETED HIS LATEST WORK, UNDER THE
HIGHWAY WHERE STATE STREET MEETS EAST COLUMBUS AVENUE.
>> I LOVE ART IN URBAN SETTINGS.
IT MAKES ME FEELS LIKE IT HUMANIZES IT AND MAKES IT MORE
FRIENDLY.
IT MAKES ME WALK AROUND THE STREETS CONSTANTLY NOW AND
DRIVING AROUND LIKE MAKING ME SO HAPPY SEEING IT ALL DEVELOPING.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND SEEING MORE FOOT TRAFFIC AS THIS
HAS BEEN HAPPENING AND I THINK IT'S GREAT FOR TOURS AND STUFF
FOR PEOPLE TO REALLY ENJOY THEIR CITY, THIS CITY.
>> SIMPSON'S TRIBUTE TO DR.
SEUSS IS ONE OF 10 LARGE MURALS THAT WERE PAINTED
THROUGHOUT THE DOWNTOWN AS PART OF FRESH PAINT SPRINGFIELD'S
MURAL FESTIVAL.
BRETT RUE IS THE FESTIVAL'S PRODUCER.
>> I THINK THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS FOR BUILDING OWNERS TO --
ESPECIALLY THIS FIRST YEAR WHEN NO ONE KNEW WHAT IT WAS LIKE OR
WHAT IT WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT.
THE BUILDING OWNERS HAD TO SAY YES TO HAVING A MURAL ON THEIR
WALL WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT IT WAS GOING TO BE.
>> YOU NEED TO GIVE THEM CREATIVE LICENSE.
THEY LEARN ABOUT THE CITY AND THEY THINK ABOUT THE
NEIGHBORHOOD BUT THEY INTERPRET THAT IN THEIR OWN WAY.
>> OUTDOOR PUBLIC ART IS SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT NOT MISS
WHEN IT'S NOT THERE BUT ONCE IT'S THERE IT CAN CHANGE THE
FEEL OF THE COMMUNITY.
>> IT DEFINITELY MAKES YOU FEEL MORE HAPPIER.
IT'S MORE UPBEAT AND I THINK IT ATTRACTS MORE CONVERSATION AND
MORE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO COME UP AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE
TAKING PICTURES AND JUST INTERACTING WITH IT.
IT'S A LOT HAPPIER.
>> WAYNE ONE IS FROM NEW YORK CITY.
HE BEGAN PAINTING 38 YEARS AGO AT A TIME WHEN BREAKDANCING, BMX
BIKES AND GRAFFITI WERE POPULAR.
>> ONCE I GOT A TASTE OF IT I BECAME REALLY ADDICTED TO IT.
IT WAS LIKE, OH, WOW!
YOU DIDN'T WANT TO STOP DOING IT AND THEN ONCE I PAINTED MY FIRST
SUBWAY TRAIN, IT'S LIKE A HIGH.
>> USING TAPE TO MARK THE LINES AND HUNDREDS OF CANS OF SPRAY
PAINT HE COMMITTED THE MURAL ON THE WALL OF THE CITY GARAGE.
>> THIS PIECE I'M NOT GOING TO LIE, IT'S REALLY, REALLY, REALLY
LARGE.
JUST BRIGHTENS THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD AND GIVES PEOPLE A
GOOD FEELING.
>> ANDRA AND PRIA GREEN ARE LOCAL PAINTERS WHO LIVE IN
SPRINGFIELD.
TOGETHER THE HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM COLLABORATE TO CREATE
PUBLIC ART AND SPECIAL PROJECTS THAT DRAW FROM THEIR INDIVIDUAL
PRACTICES.
>> THE ENERGY OF HAVING THIS LARGE GROUP OF ARTISTS WORKING
ON 10 WALLS ALL AT ONCE IN ONE WEEK, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S BEEN
PRETTY INCREDIBLE.
THE IMAGE THAT'S ON HERE STEMS FROM SOME OF MY OWN PERSONAL
WORK.
THESE ARE PAGEANT GIRLS.
>> PAINTING LARGE IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF GREAT ARTISTS DO
AND SO I BELIEVE FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO BE GOOD,
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO -- YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TACKLE LARGE
FORMAT STUFF SO I'M ALWAYS LOOKING TO -- TO ENGAGE WITH
LARGE SURFACES.
>> I HAVE A CRIPPLING FEAR OF HEIGHTS SO IT'S KIND OF
HILARIOUS THAT I WAS BOTH REALLY SCARED AND SO EXCITED TO DO THIS
MURAL BECAUSE KNOWING I WOULD HAVE TO GO UP ON A LIFT, I WAS
VERY -- I WAS VERY SCARED OF THAT.
BUT I FEEL LIKE I'VE CONQUERED THIS LIFT AND WALL SO PERSONALLY
FOR ME THAT'S BEEN REALLY THRILLING.
>> I THINK IT BEST, SPRINGFIELD WAS IN BADLY NEED OF SOME FRESH
PAINT.
ONE OF THE SHOP OWNERS WAS SAYING, LIKE, IT FEELS LIKE A
REAL CITY NOW, AND FOR ME IT'S ABOUT GIVING BACK TO A COMMUNITY
THAT WELCOMED ME WHEN I FIRST MOVED TO THE U.S. SO I'M JUST
THANKFUL, HAPPY THAT I'M ABLE TO SHARE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
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