Artists chosen for Welland Bell Box Murals Project
Painting of boxes in the city’s north end and downtown core gets underway July 25
Seventeen artists are part of the Bell Box Murals Project, the largest outdoor art project in the last 35 years in Welland, says Aldo Parrotta.
Parrotta said 32 artists from Welland, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Hamilton and Toronto applied.
“All but two artists are from Welland,” he said of those chosen.
Seventeen Bell boxes — nine along Niagara Street, and slightly branched out from Quaker Road to Thorold Road, and eight scattered in the downtown core and east side — will be painted.
The idea of bringing the project to the city came after Parrotta saw painted Bell utility boxes across Toronto.
After meeting with Michael Cavanaugh, the man who started the Bell Box Mural Project in 2009 in Toronto, Parrotta brought the concept to Welland city council.
In 2020, council approved taking $13,200 from the recreation and culture fund to pay for the program, which is also in partnership with the North Welland BIA.
Parrotta, a graphic designer and artist, said artists are asked to do things for free and the Bell box project is a way for them to be paid.
The selected artists will receive $750.
Those taking part in the project include Sandra Bell, Sydney Bouwers, Petraleah Bouwers, Sarah Dall’orso, Emilia Jajus, Darlene Kisur, Daniel Kozina, Chris Lagesten, Jungle Ling, Julie Mastrantonio, Colin Nun, Cassandra Peebles, Melika Saeeda, James Takeo, Laura Voigt, Yong Yi, and John Zaleski.
Parrotta said he and North Welland BIA John Clark met to select the north end artists, with input from merchants in the catchment area.
He chose the artists for the downtown core.
“It was very difficult to select, as you can imagine. The art scene here is so fresh and new and undiscovered. There is such great raw diversity in themes. It was difficult to not select them all.”
Parrotta said he could feel the desire and passion in each submission to define and beautify the city.
“Styles range from pop art, typography, cubism, modern art, to contemporary. Welland’s boxes will be very diverse, colourful and be the reason why this city needs an art gallery that continuously showcases the raw talent the local artists have.”
Some art will depict Welland’s history, its recreational canal, pay homage to a past artist, firefighters and more.
Parrotta said the artists will meet up at Chippawa Park on Sunday, July 25 and given instruction sheets for box preparation.
Artists can start painting on July 25 but need to finish by August 8.
Each will be featured on the mural Facebook page — facebook.com/thewellandbellboxmuralsproject— starting Thursday with a bio and a few photos.
Parrotta will post the progress of boxes on Facebook and Instagram at www.instagram.com/wellandbellboxmuralsproject.
He’s hoping artists do the same.
“I’m sure they will.” Once the project is complete, Parrotta plans to approach council this fall to make Welland the city with all Bell boxes painted by local artists in 2022.