Our Local Farms Mural. Art for All designed the Local Farms mural on Beharrell St. and involved 127 people in painting it. Courtesy photo.
Our Local Farms Mural. Art for All designed the Local Farms mural on Beharrell St. and involved 127 people in painting it. Courtesy photo.

Mural mapping rail trail and art show coming in May

April 6, 2023

Art for All, a community art organization in West Concord, is putting the finishing touches on a 24-foot mural that maps the full 25-mile length of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail from Framingham to Lowell. The mural uses a blend of images and descriptions to highlight the trail’s landmarks, towns, and history. In addition, 40 paintings of plants and animals found along the trail will frame the map, forming a vivid, informative border.

The mural will be unveiled as part of the “Spring Into West Concord” celebration on Saturday, May 20. It will be mounted at the back of 40 Beharrell Street near the bridge over Nashoba Brook, facing the trail. Come help us celebrate this spectacular addition to the West Concord Cultural District and the rail trail.

Follow the process of making the mural on the Paintings of the Trail blog on Art for All’s website. (https://artforallconcord.org)

The mural is sponsored by the West Concord Cultural District Committee with funding from the Mass Cultural Council as well as by the Friends of BFRT, Joy Street Life and Home, and Debra’s Natural Gourmet. It is designed by Mike Sprague who, with other Art for All artists, has helped create five collaborative public murals in West Concord. 

CALLING Art Makers of all ages. CONTRIBUTE TO A LOCAL SHOW.

Do you or someone you know love to paint? Art for All is inviting community members 8 years and older to contribute paintings to an upcoming exhibit at the Fowler Library. The theme is plants, animals, and scenes found along the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.

There are two ways to make a painting for this show.

1) Sign up for a workshop on the Events and Workshops page on Art for All’s website. (https://artforallconcord.org)

2) Or you can pick up one (or more) kits, paint at home, and drop off your submission by April 15. Each kit has materials and instructions and can be obtained by emailing hello@villageartroom.com. A $20 donation is suggested.

These paintings along with the 40 paintings that form the border of the giant rail-trail map and mural (see the related Rail-Trail Mural article) will all be part of Fowler Library’s “Paintings From The Trail” exhibit, opening May 20.