Members of the Downtown West Orange Alliance, from left, Seth Weisleder, Meg Brill, and Amy McCampbell, check out the new mural in ‘Imagination Alley.’
A concert in St. Mark’s Square helped celebrate the new mural painted in what has become known as Imagination Alley in downtown West Orange.
The Downtown West Orange Alliance hosted the concert Thursday, July 17, featuring live music by The Characters, as part of its Downtown Thursdays series.
The mural is located in the alleyway between Supreme Bakery and Johnny’s Pizza, connecting a parking lot to the downtown business district.
The mural was designed by artist Monet Sheard and is part of the “Imagination Alley” project, which also includes a “sky mural” featuring colorful, illuminated butterflies, transforming a previously dark alleyway into a vibrant and engaging space.
The mural project was funded by a Main Street New Jersey Transformation Grant as was the “sky mural.”
The goal of the project is to enhance the charm and liveliness of Downtown West Orange, reflecting the community’s energy, spirit, and heritage.
Amy McCampbell of the alliance said they put out a call for artists and received about 13 submissions before selecting Sheard, who is a West Orange native.“Our challenge was to create something that was reflective of the community and its history that would integrate nicely with Imagination Alley,” McCampbell said.
It took about a month to create the mural, which features lamp posts, people, plants and a light bulb among other things.
“She caught the vibe of West Orange,” McCampbell said of Sheard, who also has a mural in Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Upcoming Downtown Thursday events include a David Cassidy Historical Marker Celebration Dance Party on July 31 and Live Music Under the Stars on Aug. 14.
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