Downtown Mural Takes Art to New Heights
A late Saturday in August showcased the first hints of silvery autumnal light but still held the oppressive heat of summer. This was the first weekend that one could witness the artist, Jesse Melanson working on the first of three murals slated for Glens Falls. The murals are part of a $10 million dollar revitalization initiative for downtown Glens Falls It was mid-morning when Jesse Melanson, hailing from Austin Texas, set to work on the side of the building at 144 Glen Street.
This was his second day of prepping the wall that had been a deep color blue. He was covering the entire wall with white primer. This primer would create a better canvas for his art. He explained the struggles of working on a massive exterior wall. “The surface is rough and takes a lot of paint. There are areas of the wall where the bricks can just be pulled out.” He said as he gazed up at the jagged surface.
The logistics of working outdoors had already been challenging. “I just got power today. The lift broke yesterday and I have limited amounts of water (to work with).” He said with a smile. “Every time I work on a mural I think I should farm out the prep. But, it’s part of the process. This way I can make the work all of my own.”
Melanson went on to explain the stages of his art. “People don’t like the first stage of the work. I use a doodle grid. It will look trashy. But it will evolve.” He said. The artist hopes to beautify the downtown but also to open people’s hearts. “Everything evolves. I hope this art will teach people to look for a deeper meaning.” He said. “People should give things a chance and see what they can turn into.”
This theme can be found as an introduction on Jesse’s website as well.“I am Jesse Melanson, an innovator solving problems by design and empowering communities through art.” According to his website, Jesse has been collaborating with communities since 2017. To see more of Jesse’s work go to Jmelart.com.
This project has been funded by the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. This initiative is a $10 million dollar grant that is being used to improve the downtown area of Glens Falls. Kate Austin-Avon and Jaqueline Toubia are amongst the founding members of The Glens Falls Arts District. The group held weekly meetings to move this project forward. When asked what she hoped would come out of this project, Kate Austin-Avon replied, “For people to enjoy the arts, help fund the arts, and grow their love of art here in Glens Falls.”
The next two murals will be located on Warren Street. These murals are expected to be completed by the end of the year. The two other artists creating murals are Hannah Williams who will be working at 20 Warren Street and Toni Ardizone who will be working at 103 Warren Street. Melanson is expected to finish his mural in two weeks.
