The Mystic Mural Project in Somerville, MA

I have worked on the Somerville Mystic Mural project lead by the professional muralist, David Fichter for the last four summers and alongside many different artists. The project is focused on learning about the Mystic River in our city and surrounding cities. Not only do we learn about the river, but we learn about the many different ecosystems that make up the Mystic Lakes including forest, freshwater, marine and grasslands. These ecosystems are essential to the rivers wellbeing. Without working and healthy ecosystems the river will lack sustainability and eventually fail. We learn what can happen, is happening and will happen to the river and the life around it because of human actions. Climate change needs to be addressed and the mural is a perfect way to make others aware of the issue. The mural brings a beauty to a low-income area in the city and makes art accessible to everyone. Portraying the history of the Mystic River is very important in helping people understand how ever-changing the river is because of humans and how what we do can affect the river in many different ways. Learning about the environment is a huge factor in this project and teaches young artists to design and paint in a way that helps people understand the life around them a little better. The mural connects artists of all ages and brings our community together in unimaginable ways.