New Mural Highlights Berkshires' Beauty in Downtown Pittsfield
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| Artist Janson Rapisarda used reference photos from his own adventures in the more than 1,200-square-foot work, including pictures of his friends riding away on bikes and his wife, Katie Batten, canoeing. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The downtown has another larger-than-life mural as part of the Let It Shine initiative, this time honoring Berkshire County's natural beauty and history on the side of 7 North St.
Artist Janson Rapisarda used reference photos from his own adventures in the more than 1,200-square-foot work, including pictures of his friends riding away on bikes and his wife, Katie Batten, canoeing.
The mural is nearing completion. The Let It Shine public art initiative and partner Mill Town Foundation held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday.
"People seem to really see that it was meant for Pittsfield, that it was meant for this area, and it's reflective of this area," Rapisarda said.
It features a nod to several popular recreation activities in the Berkshires, the origins of American baseball, and animals that bring the landscape to life. Rapisarda grew up in Berkshire County and still has family in the area.
"When we first started onboarding for the project, we were talking about themes. I know they wanted to correlate the outdoors and the rural communities to Pittsfield, because they're intertwined," he said.
"…We're both outdoors people. I'm on my bike all the time. A lot of the photographs that are in here are my own photographs."
He said that while up on the lift painting, the Berkshire mountain range that inspires the work is visible.
The project is supported by MassDevelopment's Transformative Development Initiative Creative Catalyst Grant. It is one of several Let It Shine murals in downtown Pittsfield, and Rapisarda has completed more than 50 murals nationwide.
The Milwaukee artist with strong ties to Western Mass is known for people-centered artwork that highlights storytelling, identity, and community connection. The installation takes about a month in total, and preliminary sketches began about a year ago.
"Public art can do so much for a place and for a city beyond just what's happening locally," said Andy Wrba, program director for the Mill Town Foundation.
"This mural, the photos of this mural, videos of this mural will be part of what people around the state and the region know as Pittsfield."
Working down the street, he has watched the mural come together by the day. He said this brought positivity and good vibes to the downtown, explaining, "We've felt their presence. I've watched them engage with folks just walking by, and that energy is not lost."
Batten thanked everyone for bringing their joy to this project, reporting that they received a lot. She said they will leave, remembering people's stories about the elements in the mural, and how it connects to Pittsfield.
Wrba pointed out that the Let It Shine initiative has an ongoing partnership with the Pittsfield Public Schools and Common Wealth Murals, with four being installed at Conte Community School, Crosby Elementary School, Herberg Middle School, and Reid Middle School over the next few weeks. There will also be a large-scale community mural at the AdLib Inc. building on North Street.
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