Tiled Tradition

Last year I decided I wanted to create a public mural. I wanted it to embody the historic culture of Fall River, and to bring in Portuguese art traditions into the piece.

After a lot of research I came upon the Azulejo tile. These tiles are seen on a lot of structures in Portugal, they served functionally to help with insulation, but also as an artistic art form.

I decided this was the direction I wanted to go for my mural. I sketched a design that incorporates Fall River’s long history of textiles, Portugal’s sardine trade and the representation of the mills that are seeing a revival in the city.

After coming up with the design, scouting a location was key. Many people see murals and often time appreciate the art, without realizing the amount of planning that goes into the installation of a public piece. There are many moving parts. For me, it required talking with the City’s special projects manager, following the guidelines for both the city and state for safety, and regulations for materials etc. as well as ownership of the walls and timelines for installation.

As someone who frequents the local library no matter where I live, I’m happy to say that my tiles will be installed at the Fall River Public Library, as the decorative element to their revamped outdoor concert space.

After finalizing the requirements for the mural and getting approval from the Fall River Public Library, I applied for a grant through the Fall River Cultural Council (FRCC) a local division of the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

The committee for the council was so helpful, holding informational sessions and answering all questions prior to application deadlines.

I’m excited to say I received the grant I applied for! *

After multiple meetings with the library committee and staff as well as the City of Fall River, it’s time to start painting.

I’ll be sharing more of the process of painting the tiles and the install in later posts.

* This program is supported in part by a grant from the Fall River Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.