There are hundreds of colorful murals in Erie. It would take a long time to see all of them. However, it’s nice to take a few moments to admire a few.
There are some viewers who have told me that they would like to see a Last Word segment devoted to the colorful murals in the City of Erie.
Well, it’s a beautiful day for a self-guided tour. Let’s do it! But first, I need some information. I know that there are many, many murals in the City of Erie, and my producers give me only so much time.
So, I’m visiting Susannah Faulkner at Erie Arts and Culture. She tells me that I have my work cut out for me.
“There’s hundreds of murals in Erie at this point,” she tells me. “Just for us at Erie Arts and Culture, we have worked on over 35 murals in the last two years. So, we have an explosion of murals in Erie.”
I ask Susannah for some advice on how I should proceed on my tour. She tells me that many of the murals her organization has supported were part of a program to give elementary students recognizable markers as they walk to and from school. She recommends that I tour four murals near Pfeiffer-Burleigh School on the Lower East Side.
“They are spectacular and they highlight some of the best Erie artists that we have who are incredible,” says Susannah.
I start at the building that houses the 10/20 Collective at 1020 Holland Street. This mural is based on the subjects of the famous paintings the “Mona Lisa” and the “Girl With a Pearl Earring”. They are portrayed as Women of Color.
I move on to the area of 12th and Holland. This mural covers the entire side of a large building. I love the origami birds, the flowers, and a big eyeball inside a heart.
I can’t wait to see the next one. It’s at 7th and Parade. It’s a bright geometric mural on the side of a business. There are shadows of children running within the colorful shapes.
The last mural on my tour is at 5th and Ash, and it is huge. It covers the front and side of what looks like a building that used to house a beer distributor years ago. This colorful artwork would brighten up any neighborhood. That brings me back to Susannah and something she told me before I started my tour. She says one of the many positive things about murals is that they inspire pride in our city.
“When folks see that beauty, they want to emulate that beauty in their little corner of the world as well,” she said.
It is a beautiful day. I’m going to spend the rest of it admiring as many murals as I can. In Erie, I do not have to travel far to find more.
Erie Arts and Culture will be sponsoring a public screening of a new documentary about murals in Erie. It will be held at the 10/20 Collective on Holland Street on Nov. 19 at 7 p.m.
Also, that night, there will be an unveiling of the first printable map of murals in Erie.