The Hull Artwalk transformed an abandoned pedestrian walkway and parking lot into a mutli-faceted public art installation off Nantasket Avenue, connecting the beach and the bay. The opening was Sept 4, 2019, and a ceremony hosted by the Hull Economic Development Committee and the board of selectmen. This day is now listed in the public record as “Hull Artwalk Day”!

Buoys are a familiar sight in Hull, as they are used to mark lobster pots and sometimes get cut off from their tether and then wash up on shore. Buoy is a word that is related to the word “buoyant” which means “able or apt to stay afloat or rise to the top of a liquid or gas, and another meaning is “ cheerful and optimistic.” In the spirit of buoyancy the Buoy Starbursts were conceived as a community arts element for a new Art Garden and Art Walk connecting the boardwalk and beach area with the new garden. 

Funds were raised through a Commonwealth Places campaign that offered to give the initiative $25,000 if the public donated the same amount. The fundraising goal was reached near the end of May, mural artists were selected in June and they worked from July 1 through 31. I worked with the community to create 6 buoy star bursts, 3 sculptural garden beds and the art garden space. Some images of the artwalk:

6 buoy starbursts were created in 2019. Contributors included students at Hull High School, Memorial Middle School and The Jacobs Elementary School; 24 buoys were painted at a community event in May, 24 buoys were painted by Hull Artists, and 12 buoys painted by people in the Hull Pride community. Some pics of buoy painting in the middle and elementary schools:

Starbursts are on display in the schools for the winter and Spring. The starburst form represents the explosion of new energy in Nantasket beach in the form of new investment and expression. The community engagement approach to constructing these starbursts demonstrates a commitment to the understanding that beauty is in variation and an inclusion, and that interconnectedness is what creates a sense of place.

Come visit the Hull Artwalk to see these sculptures and 10 awesome murals created by local artists!

Press:

• Patriot Ledger “Nantasket art installation, pedestrian path to open Wednesday”

 

• CBS Local “Hull Art Walk Aims To Bring Beauty And Life To The Oceanfront”
• Patriot Ledger “Public art installation nearing completion in Hull”