Happy Earth Day! If you missed Patti Amaral’s every day is Earth Day letter to the editor it’s a great way to begin your morning. Her letter made me think about this street art in Gloucester. Does anyone know who painted it and how it came about? Is it unique?
The mural is located out of sight behind Dunkin’ Donuts. I am a Dunkin regular. Admittedly a drive-thru is not a promising Earth Day post. There’s a reward with this one: a sun dappled park scene where everyone and their dog are enjoying the open air, lunch, the sun, the moment–and they pick up after themselves!
Patti, Donna, Amy– in this world Everyone is pitching in, all lyrical limbs. There’s even a bit of perspective.Ten years ago, the mural wrapped so you might not catch the whole story with just one queue. You’d need to drive through again and it wouldn’t bother you a bit. Over time, low and lush hydrangea beneath the mural were broken up and dispersed among planters. Small billboards with local advertising sprouted; it’s hard to find fault with that business effort. We hoped it was only a trial. It wasn’t. My young sons felt badly for the painting when ads were pasted right up to the mural’s edge and (eek!) atop. The day came when they said no way to that drive through. (We may have wrote the owners please move the signs a little more to the left and can you fix it?)
It’s been years and I forgot about the painting. The billboard clutter was drastically reduced. Unfortunately there’s no harmony in 104.9 smack dab in the middle of the painting. And is it churlish on Earth Day to wish that the 2 evergreen somethings that have grown too tall for that site could be cropped, instead of the image? If that sign (sorry 104.9) was scooched over and off…cue the Earth Day music.
Fifth Dimension’s 1969 chart topping Age of Aquarius – Let the Sunshine In. The clip includes scenes from Hair. My dear friend blasts this song first thing Earth Day morning. What’s on your Earth Day playlist?
Good Morning Gloucester 