Empty Downtown Facade Becomes Mural Dedicated to Summertime in Providence

A conversation with local illustrator and designer Michelle Perez

By James Baumgartner and Luis Hernandez

Originally built in 1929, the Providence National Bank Building was demolished in 2005 to make way for a residential tower that was never built. All that’s left now is an empty facade – one brick wall on Weybosset Street propped up by steel struts. Instead of windows, the facade has five panels that feature a new mural every year. This year’s mural, “Parade” was painted by Michelle Perez. It features giant bright orange koi fish, held aloft by people riding bicycles and skateboards on a cool blue background. For Artscape (air date July 27) we heard from Perez as she put the finishing touches on her painting. She says she was inspired by summertime in Providence.

The facade on Weybosset is curated by The Avenue Concept which produces public art in various locations across Providence. The mural will be on display for the next 12 months.

MICHELLE PEREZ: Having people in the streets, having sound and movement return to the streets after a long winter, you know. So I wanted to also take inspiration from WaterFire. So this is, I took inspiration from the koi fish lanterns that they take down the canals in the summers. But instead of being upheld by kayakers, I thought of the people on bicycles on skateboards and everything that returns to the streets in the summer, bringing life back into the streets. Yeah, I drew each panel individually, just the drawing without the color. And then I came here with my friend/assistant, and we hooked up a projector to the other side of the street, and one by one went in with spray paint cans and sketched everything out pretty quickly. Had to accommodate for all the cars coming by, all the RIPTA buses, all the people walking in front of the projector, you know. So it was a fun night, I have to say.

I work a lot in contrasting colors, so I definitely wanted to play with, like, making sure the fish stands out enough from the background, and having all of the warmth in terms of color, the like fierceness concentrated on the fish, and then have everything else be a little cooler. As in contrast, more water-like, you know. I think also, when I was putting the color in the figures, I wanted them to be in silhouette as if the sun was setting a little bit, you know? So I definitely wanted it to read kind of as nighttime as well. My main focus with this mural and with drawing it is to portray that sense of motion, to take advantage of the fact that there are five separate panels, but to maintain a fluidity and motion throughout, instead of treating them each as separate pieces.

I think you come in with a plan, but you also have to be open to changing on the fly in terms of what comes to you, what looks good on the wall, because you learn – now that this is my second mural that I’ve ever done – is that the drawing that you have on your small screen, you know, on an iPad or a piece of paper is di erent once you blow it up, and you have to adjust as you’re painting to fit the scale of it. When you step back, how does it look from a distance? How does it look close up? How does it look to people who are just walking right past it? I think all of that comes into play as you’re painting it.

My favorite part of doing murals is the opportunity to talk to people, to talk to strangers, to interact more with people who own local businesses. I think this has just been a great opportunity to get to know the neighborhood a little bit more.

I had the owner of the Custom House Tavern come by on his bicycle and pose in front of the first panel, as if he was the inspiration for it. He wanted us to stage a little picture for him. So that was nice. So I’d say that part mostly, the riders that are on the mural being reflected back on the street.

I like that it’s, you unintentionally come across it and unintentionally interact with it. I think, especially for the work that I do, I’m so used to it living online, or on smaller spaces and smaller scales, interacting with people who, yeah, have to directly come across it. So I think what I love about public art and about mural painting is that interaction with the everyday that a piece has, with everyday people, with the environment around it that I really appreciate. And that is a real di erence from the art that I usually do.

This article was originally posted on July 27, 2023. Baumgartner can be reached at James@ThePublicsRadio. org; Hernandez can be reached at LHernandez@ThePubicsRadio.org

Little City Coffee & Kitchen Bakery

Cafe

We’re on the hunt for Rhody Gems! Every neighborhood has that secret, hidden, cool and unusual, or hole-in-the-wall spot that locals love. Email or tag us on social media using #RhodyGem to suggest yours, and we might just feature it!

What it is:

A co ee shop serving scratch-made baked goods and breakfast daily from 7am-3pm.

Where to find it:

On that section of Mathewson Street between Weybosset and Westminster streets, look for the horizontal sign bearing the business name.

What makes it a Rhody Gem?

A welcoming atmosphere, fresh co ee all day, and sweet and savory goods baked on site have made Little City popular with neighbors since 2021. “We love being able to get to know each of our customers,” says Kelsey Garvin, baker, who co-owns Little City with Dave Lanning. Garvin adds that they are an entirely from-scratch operation, so everything, even the syrups, are made in house. Inside the contemporary, e cient space, Garvin shares that they’ve become known for their sourdough English mu ns, but the Pulled Mushroom Sandwich and the Pepperoni Sandwich are also both very popular. “Currently our Chili Crisp and Scallion Focaccia, and the Corn and Shishito Galette are top sellers out of the bakery case, but the Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie is a classic goto as well. Our coconut caramel in our flashbrewed iced co ee is also very popular with the summer weather. Chai lattes made with our house chai concentrate are also a go-to for lots of our customers.”

Little City Coffee & Kitchen

170 Mathewson Street

LittleCityPVD.com, @LittleCityPVD

Op-Ed: Fall Thoughts

From the upcoming election to citywide issues, the rundown on September and beyond

Congressional Race

We like Gabe Amo. With 12 candidates all trying to “out Liberal” each other, Amo is the real deal. The son of Ghanaian and Liberian immigrants, he attended Moses Brown and Wheaton College and received a Marshall Scholarship to study public policy at Oxford. He knows Rhode Island and Washington well from working for Governor Raimondo and President Biden. Though not a politician, he understands the inner workings of government and can get things done. Campaigning in the summer in RI is always a challenge, although several candidates seem to be competing against MAGA Republicans which, at last check, were as rare as unicorns in the Ocean State. September 5 is the day! Voter turnout is projected at “very low” and the winner may need 10,000 votes (or less)... which is embarrassing. So please vote.

Election Signature Issues

Note to the new Secretary of State: read your job description. “As Rhode Island’s chief elections officer, the Secretary of State registers voters, prepares ballots…” Downplaying fraudulent signatures from the Sabina Matos campaign doesn’t pass. Stephen Erickson, who formerly served as the vice chairman of the Board of Elections noted in an interview, “Given all of the evidence from multiple communities that there were problems, they should have reviewed all of Matos’ signatures and come to an independent conclusion about whether she had submitted the required number of signatures.” The “buck” stops with the Secretary and he needs to demonstrate leadership to ensure that all aspects of elections are honest and fair.

Providence Schools

Providence Schools are currently owned by Providence but operated by the Rhode Island Department of Education. Enrollment is down. Staffing isn’t. Three schools are closing. Other major school renovations were retroactively approved by the City Council – well after construction had started. Many clerical systems are obsolete. Diversity of teachers remains low relative to the student body, and 41 percent of teachers are over 50. The state takeover was extended through 2027 (blame COVID). Will the “gold standard core K-12 curricula” deliver? Parents remain frustrated, rightfully.

Pvdfest

The new mayor brings a grown-up approach with a shift from a party in the streets to an arts-focused event that can be sustained into the future. The date moved. The location moved. Open drinking and block parties were banned, but block parties made it back. We support the arts direction and hope it can grow into a national event.

Police

Providence is down 80 officers. There is a new class of 30 officers, but there will also be a new wave of retirees. Bottom line: Providence will still be short. Most of the crime stats show a downward trend, except homicide and robbery with a gun. However, unreported minor offenses like car breaks, minor thefts, and vandalism continue to increase. Providence needs more boots on the ground on each shift.

Panhandling

At almost every major intersection throughout Providence there are people asking for money. Some have an app for transactions if you say you don’t have change, and there are speculations about coordination. The priority should be connecting unhoused individuals with established channels to get them the help they need.

Downtown Improvement District

Easily recognized ambassadors in yellow shirts clean up litter, wash sidewalks, shovel snow, maintain the hanging baskets, water the plants, and provide extra eyes for the police. Incorporating a team from Crossroads could help with the homeless problem throughout downtown that seems to be growing.

Traffic Flow

This should be an easy one. The traffic lights are on a timing system; it should move traffic efficiently and quickly through the city, but it doesn’t. Best of all, it’s an easy fix. Despite a new bridge, traffic has the potential to get a lot worse, especially on the East Side when the new red bridge opens. We’ve already seen backups that run from the East Side through East Providence when there is an accident on 195!

195

Parcel 1a

The parcel is located where the Helipad was, practically adjacent to the Van Leeston Pedestrian Bridge. What will another building (up to six stories in height) with no parking accomplish except to eliminate a park and the bike path on South Water Street? CRMC (Coastal Resources Management Council) must approve, and there is a big setback. Parcel 1A is within the College Hill National Register Historic District, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, so the building must be designed to complement the historic context. Stay tuned.

Capturing the Presence of Greatness

Beloved Providence artist Edward Mitchell Bannister to be honored with statue and celebration this month

On September 10, a parade led by the Providence Drum Troupe will kick o from the PVDFest main stage and wend its way through the streets, gathering curious onlookers along the way, until it reaches RISD’s Market Square, where the city’s latest piece of public sculpture will be unveiled.

The debut of Rhode Island sculptor Gage Prentiss’ vision of Edward Mitchell Bannister, renowned oil painter, art critic, and Providence Art Club founding member, will be the culmination of a three-day-long celebration. “The weekend will be wrapped in art,” says Jennifer Davis-Allison who, with Nancy Gaucher-Thomas, co-chaired the committee that helped give Bannister’s lifesize likeness a permanent home along the Providence River. “If we spoke an idea, it materialized. It felt like manna falling from heaven,” she says. “And I think that has a lot to do with Bannister

Bannister Weekend

The celebration will begin at The Providence Art Club with a cocktail party on Friday, September 8 at 6pm. In addition to sculptor Prentiss, internationally celebrated artist and educator Joseph Norman will be in attendance, and Alexus Lee & Trio will serenade revelers with their jazz stylings. The party will roll into the street on Saturday, from 12-4pm, with an Art Club block party, complete with food trucks, cocktails, live entertainment, art sales, open artist studios and guided tours of the club space.

On Sunday, after the parade kicks o at noon, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley will proclaim September 10 as Edward Mitchell Bannister Day. The mayor will share the stage with Prentiss; Joe Wilson, Jr., director of Providence’s Department of Art, Culture and Tourism; and Shawn Kenney, president of the Providence Art Club, among others, before the statue is o cially unveiled. Mixed Magic Theatre’s Exult Choir will close the celebration. For a full schedule of events, visit ProvidenceArtClub.org/ bannister-project/ and the impact of his life on Providence.” She adds that the sculpture is the most significant recognition of Bannister by the Providence Art Club and serves to catalyze their celebration. Of the sculptor, David-Allison shares, “We owe so much to Gage and his passion.”

“This is the most fulfilling thing I’ve done artistically in my life so far,” Prentiss says of the sculpture. “I encountered Bannister’s photo before his paintings. I saw his beard, mustache, and intense gaze, and he piqued my curiosity. So I looked for his art, and it touched me deeply. I’m actually a little upset that I spent so much of my life not knowing about him.”

Prentiss spent four years translating his love for Bannister into something tangible, focusing on every detail, from the design of the bench to the clasp on Bannister’s shoe. “I wanted it to have an authentic presence,” he says. “I tried to portray the presence that I felt through his art, through his gaze, through other people’s stories about him.”

The sculptor is not naive to the cultural conversation that would question whether he, as a white person, has the right to portray a Black person. “I’m an artist, not a historian or a person of color from his time. My goal is to interpret Bannister as I have experienced him. The statue is an expression of my love for the inspiration, joy, confidence, and awe his art, life, and presence have had on my life.”

Prentiss envisions the sculpture as an impetus for others to share stories about Bannister and the people in his radius. “I hope I’m holding out a baton so that historians, educators, and biographers will run with it and lead people toward other stories and lives from Bannister’s community and experience.”

Neighborhood News

A space made available to Providence’s neighborhood associations free of charge.

Hot Topics

An overview of what’s happening around the city right now

Baseball win for Washington Park youth athletes

In a triumphant victory, the Washington Park South Providence Sports’ (WPSPS) youth baseball 10U All Star Team clinched the New England Divisional Title, securing their place in the highly anticipated 2023 Cal Ripken World Series. The achievement marks a historic milestone as the Providence team’s first time making it to the series. All summer, the WPSPS team, comprising 13 10-year-old athletes led by four coaches, competed against formidable teams from Cranston, Warwick, and Tiverton, advancing into the New England Championship, where they continued to collect wins against states across the region. The WPSPS team practices at the Tim O’Neil Field in Roger Williams Park, cheered on by a community of passionate baseball lovers and proud families, who helped make the young players’ dreams come true. At time of press, they plan to travel to Crown Point, Indiana in August for the Cal Ripken World Series game. To learn more, follow Washington Park South Providence Sports on Facebook.

The Jewelry District’s ongoing riverwalk project officially open

Following a formal ribbon cutting held August 17, the mile-and-a-quarter riverwalk from Waterplace Basin to Point Street is now fully open to the public. Completion of the walkway was made possible by bridging the Ship Street Canal and rebuilding the river bulkhead to carry the pathway through to Point Street. From the 195 District Park at the west end of the Van Leesten Pedestrian Bridge, the path runs along the river over the Ship Street Canal and past South Street Landing and River House. Wexford Science & Technology, the developers of South Street Landing and 225 Dyer Street, built the bridge and walkway. The walkway provides a variety of new recreational possibilities, including an improved boat landing and an access area for public fishing. In keeping with environmental concerns, the walkway’s permeable surface limits runo into the river, and native plantings have been introduced along the river’s edge. Benches o er pleasant stopping points along the way. The new walkway is open from one hour before dawn to one hour after dusk, and lighting is being installed.

Old State House awarded federal grant

Built in 1760-62 when the state was still a colony, the Old State House and Parade at 150 Benefit Street in Providence still stands today, and a recently awarded $750,000 federal grant ensures its continued preservation. Commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the Semiquincentennial Grant was awarded by the Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

The brick-and-brownstone Old State House was once at the center of political life in Rhode Island and an important gathering place. Two months before the Declaration of Independence was signed, it was the site of Rhode Island’s General Assembly renouncing its allegiance to King George III, and it once hosted a visit from George Washington. Today it is headquarters of the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission, the state agency for historical preservation and heritage programs. The federal funding will support both in-depth research of the building’s construction and restoration projects including plaster repair, painting, and flooring, as well as landscape features returned to their former glory.

Fox Point neighbors concerned about influx of cars

The 195 Commission met in mid-July to hear neighborhood feedback and vote on “conceptual approval” of a two-building development project designed by the Urbanica firm and slated for South Main and South Water streets, adjacent to the Van Leesten Pedestrian Bridge. The Fox Point Neighborhood Association (FPNA), which has been involved in the commission’s months-long vetting process since its start, gave strong warnings about the proposal, raising concerns about massing and parking.

The proposal, which includes two buildings that range in size from three to six stories, struck Fox Point neighbors and the FPNA Board of Directors as too high and bulky, even in modified form. “The massing and height are out of context with the neighborhood,” says FPNA interim president Lily Bogosian. The proposal also compounds an already troublesome situation with lack of parking in the area. “This project lacks adequate residential parking and service vehicle accommodations,” Bogosian continues. “We are not able to manage the influx of vehicles at this very moment as a result of current development. We are seeing road rage, noise, parking issues, cars in driveways, and more.” The Urbanica project, she continued, combined with the city and state’s more than 1,500 proposed units, would only cause these problems to worsen.

The 195 Commission ultimately voted to approve the design, which includes residential units, first-level commercial space, a public plaza, and live-work lofts. In the coming months, the commission and the public will have the opportunity to review and provide comment on the final design.

Providence Neighborhood Associations

Blackstone Parks Conservancy

Jane Peterson

P.O. Box 603141

Providence, RI 02906

401-270-3014

BlackstoneParks@gmail.com

BlackstoneParksConservancy.org

College Hill Neighborhood Association

Rick Champagne

P.O. Box 2442

Providence, RI 02906

CHNA@chnaprovidence.org

CHNAProvidence.org

Downtown Neighborhood Association

DNAPVD@gmail.com

DNAPVD.com

Facebook: Providence Downtown Neighborhood Association, DNA

Elmwood Neighborhood Association

Karen Hlynsky

ENA-PVD.org

Facebook: Elmwood Neighborhood Association PVD

Fox Point Neighborhood Association

Meeting Date: September 11

Amy Mendillo

P.O. Box 2315

Providence, RI 02906

FoxPointNeighborhood@gmail.com

FPNA.net

Jewelry District Association

Sharon Steele

Sharon@sharonsteele.com

JewelryDistrict.org

Facebook: Jewelry District Association Providence, RI

Mile of History Association

Charles Hewitt, Secretary

1 Governor Street, Providence MileOfHistory@gmail.com MileOfHistory.org

Mount Hope Community Center 401-521-8830

MHNAInc@gmail.com

Facebook: Mount Hope Neighborhood Association, Inc.

Olneyville Neighborhood Association

Meeting Date: September 27

Yuselly Mendoza, Program Coordinator

122 Manton Avenue, Box 8 Providence, RI 02909

Yuselly@ona-providence.org

Facebook: Olneyville Library

Providence Coalition of Neighborhood Associations Info@provcna.org

ProvCNA.org

Reservoir Triangle Neighborhood Association

David Talan

25 Santiago St.

Providence, RI 02907

401-941-3662

DaveTalan@aol.com

Smith Hill Partners’ Initiative

Wole Akinbi

400 Smith Street

Providence, RI 02908 Suite #1

AAkinbi@half-full.com

Facebook: Smith Hill Partners’ Initiative

South Providence Neighborhood Association c/o Dwayne Keys

P.O. Box 5653

Providence, RI 02903

401-369-1334

SouthProvNeighbors@gmail.com

Facebook: South Providence Neighborhood Association

Summit Neighborhood Association

P.O. Box 41092

Providence, RI 02940

401-400-0986

SNAProv@gmail.com

SummitNeighbors.org

Washington Park

Neighborhood Association

237 Washington Avenue

Providence, RI 02905

BettyLinda@aol.com

Facebook: Washington Park Association

Wayland Square

Neighborhood Association

Katherine Touafek

Facebook: Wayland Square Neighborhood Association

WaylandSquareNeighbors@gmail.com

West Broadway

Neighborhood Association

1560 Westminster Street

Providence, RI 02909

401-831-9344

WBNA@wbna.org

WBNA.org

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