Bringing art to the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse

May 26, 2021 : The Somerville Times

Blessing of the Bay is a slice of nature right here in urban Somerville. The boathouse is home to a canoe and kayak rental plus a rowing club. Now they are adding some great art.

This sign and art installation celebrates Blessing of the Bay Park’s ecological and recreational importance to Somerville and the Mystic. A “wave façade” of blue ribbons will echo the surface of the water. A pattern of shapes that resemble an eye, leaf, fish, or boat will cover the installation, each featuring an image of the river captured by members of the community.

On Sunday, May 23, artists hosted an on-site, socially-distanced workshop for members of the public to contribute photographs and original artworks of the Mystic to be integrated into the wave façade.

The project is being done in partnership with artists, Carolyn Lewenberg and Jessica Finch, Selbert Perkins Designs, and is being funded in part by a challenge grant from Mass Development’s Commonwealth Places Program.