Large painted scenes of Hamburg’s history are quickly coming to life on a wall adjacent to the Hamburg State Street Square.
Hamburg’s first mural adds beauty to Hamburg, as well as town pride, said Our Town Foundation Executive Director Deena Kershner.
“I can tell by the responses we’re getting on Facebook, the town loves it. This is just what Hamburg needs,” she said. “I think there’s a lot of pride.”
Response has been very positive.
“People say they love it and that it’s a great addition to town,” said Kershner. “We’d like to do more in the future.”
OTF is raising funds to create more murals in Hamburg in the future.
“One of the Hamburg Arts Alliance’s endeavors was to put more public art into the community,” said Kershner. “What better example of public art can you get than this.”
Berks Fire & Water Restorations donated the primer paint which was applied by Hamburg artist Brian Warfel and Lenhartsville artist Jeff Kahn.
Mural artist Carrie Kingsbury, Birdsboro, began painting the 12-feet tall, 95-feet long mural Sept. 5, right after The Taste of Hamburg-er Festival.
People have stopped to visit while Kingsbury paints.
“They really like it. There’s isn’t anything like this in town so it’s really fun for people to watch the process from the rough sketch to the finish work,” she said. “I like that it really transforms a space. People really feel good about where they live. (A mural) shines a light on aspects of the history of an area that they might not have thought of before. So it raises awareness of the benefits of living here.”
“I like making people feel town pride,” said Kingsbury. “That’s fun.”
OTF proposed painting murals in town about seven years ago but Borough Council denied the request. This summer Council approved an ordinance amendment that allows public murals in Hamburg.
“We stressed the importance of murals in a community,” said Kershner. “It’s the beautification of the town. There are educational benefits. Just look at a plain wall or would you like to look at something like this?”
The mural design was created by the Hamburg Arts Alliance, a committee of the Our Town Foundation.
Kershner said the mural has brought to light Hamburg’s heritage. Each panel shows a different historical era: the Lenni Lenape Indians, canals, farming, railroad transportation, Hahn Motors and the original King Frost. The mural also features Hamburg’s first fire truck, the 1877 Silsby Steamer.
“It’s not my design but I’m enjoying fleshing it out,” said Kingsbury, noting that one of her favorite parts of the process has been creating the different colored skies. “I’m kind of making it my own. I was given the design in a rough sketch form. I like the idea of vignettes, a time line hitting different important aspects of the history of the town.”
The Hamburg Historical Society provided historical photos for Kingsbury to use as reference in creating in the mural.
“It all pulls together this area and the history of this area,” said Kingsbury.
A modern element will be added with kayakers floating down the Schuylkill River below the different panels. There will also be a hex sign and a bridge running across the top with columns connecting the different panels.
“It covers a lot of information in just one wall. There’s an educational value to the mural.”
Kingsbury likes the mural’s dual purpose of adding beauty while educating the community.
A professional muralist for about 15 years, Kingsbury has lost count of the number of murals she has completed over the years.
A native of Suffolk County, N.Y., Kingsbury attended college in North Dakota and finished at Kutztown University, earning degrees in graphic design and fine arts, with an emphasis on painting. She is the owner of Promiseland Murals, and has been a full-time mural painter since 2001. Since 2003, she has called Birdsboro home, working out of studio space in her home, according to an April 2016 Pottstown Mercury article.
Her work can be seen at St. Christopher’s Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia, The Children’s Home of Reading Day School, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia at King of Prussia and several area restaurants. She also has done work for Designing 4 Hope, an organization that does home makeovers for critically ill children. She also painted an external building mural in 2013 for Malvern, showing the history of Malvern, according to The Mercury.
Kingsbury hopes to have the mural finished before cold weather hits. Otherwise, she will finish it in the spring.
“I’m racing against the clock,” she said. “I’m hoping the weather will hold out.”
State Street Square, located at 222-228 State St., is a lot that OTF purchased on July 1, 2015. The property was previously owned by the late Sally Balthaser. The mural is being painted on the exterior wall of the building behind Ala Mode Ice Cream & Dessert Parlor on State Street.
“We’re hoping with the future plans of the State Street Square that we want to turn this into an area where people can have public recreation. People can sit here, relax, look at the mural, maybe have a picnic lunch,” she said.
Throughout the summer, Hamburg Farmer’s Market was held on the Square on Sundays. OTF would like to expand the Arts Fest to the Square. Other ideas include a monthly flea market. Kershner has applied for grants to erect a pavilion with a concrete floor, add a parking lot in the rear, add lighting and to connect water and sewer lines.
The Hamburg Area Arts Alliance/Our Town Foundation has established a mural fund and is accepting donations to assist with creating additional murals and maintenance of the murals. Donations can be sent to the Hamburg Area Arts Alliance, c/o Our Town Foundation, 335 State Street, Hamburg PA 19526.
For more information about the artist, visit www.promiselandart.com and Promiseland Murals on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/carriecj5/.
