WILLIAMSVILLE, NY (July 28, 2021) – The Village of Williamsville on July 28 officially marked the completion of a 214-square-foot wildlife-themed mural on the exterior wall of Noll Nature Pavilion.
SPECIAL FEATURE: Scroll down for a 90-second video of the mural’s start-to-finish progression.
The work, titled “Glen in Bloom,” was painted by local artist Ali Price, who was commissioned by the Glen Park Joint Board to create the mural.
Her sixth mural since starting her own business a year ago, Price completed the artwork by early summer after approximately 180 hours of labor throughout a 30-day span.
“Working in Glen Park the last month was an extremely special time for me,” she said. “I met so many new friends and I had so many visitors every day, giving me their support and sharing their stories with me. I especially loved seeing all the kids run up to the mural to pick out their favorite parts. I really felt like a part of the community and that I provided something to contribute.”
The mural at Glen Park draws inspiration from Henri Rousseau, a French post-Impressionist artist who was known for painting nature scenes. The mural’s title is derived from its location within Glen Park combined with the artwork’s depictions of nature at its peak.
The park is cooperatively owned and managed by the Village of Williamsville and Town of Amherst. As such, the GPJB has two municipal board liaisons: village Trustee Eileen Torre and town Councilmember Michael Szukala. The GPJB is led by its chairperson, Peter Warn.
Torre and Warn worked together to pursue the idea of having a local artist paint a mural on the exterior of Noll pavilion. Their search eventually led them to speak with Price about the opportunity.
“The renderings she did were exceptional and we knew we found the perfect artist to create the mural,” Torre said.
Price said the mural features an educational and interactive scavenger hunt, allowing viewers to search for specific insects, plants, and more than a dozen wildlife animals that can be found within the artwork.
“Throughout the designing process, more and more plants and animals were added and that’s what led to it becoming a scavenger hunt for children,” Price said. “With it being so close to the Nature Play area, it just seemed perfect to make it interactive and educational for the children.”
The artwork was made using a combination of spray paint and exterior paint with brushes. Price said that creation of the mural was made challenging by the wall’s rough surface. By using the proper materials and the wall texture to her advantage, Price was able to overcome the obstacles. She said the rough wall provides the mural with extra texture and depth, such as what is shown in Rousseau’s works.
“The word I use most to describe the mural is ‘spectacular,’ said Glen Park Joint Board Chairperson Pete Warn.
Torre said she is proud to be part of the project, adding that it was exciting to watch Price begin with a blank wall and finish with a beautiful scene.
“Not only was I mesmerized by the flourishing beauty, but many park visitors became daily voyeurs of Price’s creation,” she said.
Szukala said that public art provides communities with positive impacts.
“This is art that brings this community together in harmony with nature,” he said. “I say, come see the beauty in the park. Bring your kids, bring your parents.”
Williamsville’s first mural, “A Butterfly’s View of the Garden,” was completed in fall 2020. The butterfly-themed mural is within the village’s Pocket Park on the exterior wall of Williamsville Village Hall, 5565 Main St.