Funded by the Essex County Community Foundation, Felipe Ortiz discusses the “We Share One Sky” Mural. Photos by Creative Collective
These murals will visually represent the shared human experience on our small planet, highlighting minority voices and lesser-known perspectives of Newburyport through contemporary nontraditional imagery.
The south-facing wall of The Tannery Marketplace’s Mill No. 4 in Newburyport has long been adorned with a brick-red shade. But this summer, the wall is set to come alive with colors and vibrancy as artist Felipe Ortiz begins to paint the first in a series of murals as part of the “We Share One Sky” project.
Project Overview
The Newburyport Art Association, in collaboration with the city, Blochaus Art Gallery, and Tannery Marketplace owner David Hall, is working tirelessly to bring this ambitious project to life. Funded by a $25,000 grant from the Essex County Community Foundation’s Creative County Initiative, the project is set to span two years, featuring over a dozen muralists.
These murals will visually represent the shared human experience on our small planet, highlighting minority voices and lesser-known perspectives of Newburyport through contemporary nontraditional imagery.
Meet the Lead Artist: Felipe Ortiz @felipeortizart
Felipe Ortiz, the project’s lead artist, has a vision deeply rooted in what he describes as “explosive nature.” The Colombian native’s art colorfully represents the biodiversity of a given area, a mix of expressive, colorful, and abstract mark-making in the form of splashes.
Ortiz has spent the past six months in Newburyport, getting acquainted with the local biodiversity, focusing on the history of the piping plovers and ospreys around the area. His fascination with migratory birds resonates with his experience of migrating and adapting to the United States in 1999.
Ortiz said, “I went all over the East Coast while immigrating and adapting to the United States, and I developed an interest in the birds that were doing the same. I’ve been lucky enough to adapt to this place, and I want to represent that in some way since it’s a part of my story.”
The Murals: Connecting Community and Nature
The first mural, approximately 1,200-square-foot, on Mill No. 4, started late on a Tuesday and is expected to take about ten days to complete. This will be followed by a temporary, removable mural installation on the side of Newburyport Art’s Hills Gallery. Ortiz plans to explore a modular landscape with different colors on loose pieces of wood, allowing people to interact and rearrange.
“We want to see what the possibilities are here, and this is just the start,” Ortiz expressed, optimistic about the attention and interest that the project will generate in Newburyport.
Public Engagement and Beyond
The Newburyport Art Association is also keen on creating public engagement opportunities during Ortiz’s residency, ending in early August. More murals are anticipated at The Tannery over the next two years, making it a continuing beacon for community connection, art appreciation, and nature’s vivid showcase.
The “We Share One Sky” murals project is not just about art; it’s about storytelling, bridging cultures, celebrating nature, and connecting communities. It’s about reminding passers-by that we share the same small planet no matter our differences, and the shared experiences, history, and natural wonder unite us.
For all those in the Newburyport area, don’t miss the chance to witness these beautiful murals come to life and engage with the project to define the town’s art landscape in the coming years.
