Fresh Waves: The Downtown Alpena Mural ProjectFresh Waves: The Downtown Alpena Mural Project is an arts initiative facilitated by the Alpena DDA. The project was launched in 2019 with mural artist Aaron Golbeck, an Alpena native who currently works in Colorado, who came up with the idea to bring fresh mural art to the Alpena community and create something fresh that people can enjoy and get behind. He and Denver-based artist Chad Bolsinger painted the first mural as part of Fresh Waves in July 2019 at Family Enterprise Embroidery, located at 211 S. Second Ave. Over the last three years, the program has grown and continued to bring unique, one-of-a-kind artwork to Downtown Alpena.
In November 2021, Fresh Waves was awarded a "Best Placemaking Project" through the Michigan Downtown Association for the project's impact on our downtown and community. You can learn more about the award here! There is no theme for Fresh Waves, instead we want to celebrate art for art’s sake and allow the artwork to shine through without boxing it in. We are looking for artwork that stands out and tells a new story, with fresh perspective. |
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2021 Installation
In 2021, twelve Fresh Waves Murals were painted on free-standing structures at the entrance to the City of Alpena Boat Harbor. The structures are 4’ wide and 8’ tall and will feature two panels affixed to posts sunk into the grass. Six structures were painted in the grassy stretch between the sidewalk and harbor parking lot on Harbor Drive. You can learn all about our 2021 installation by visiting this blog post on Blog Downtown Alpena!
Our 2021 artists included:
Danyeal Dorr | Alpena, Michigan
Hope Reed | Alpena, Michigan
Justin Christensen-Cooper | Alpena, Michigan
Mariah Brancheau | Lachine, Michigan
Samantha Freske | Posen, Michigan
Sarah Bedford | Alpena, Michigan
Tiffany Tracey | Alpena, Michigan
Angelina Villalobos | Seattle, Washington
Our 2021 artists included:
Danyeal Dorr | Alpena, Michigan
Hope Reed | Alpena, Michigan
Justin Christensen-Cooper | Alpena, Michigan
Mariah Brancheau | Lachine, Michigan
Samantha Freske | Posen, Michigan
Sarah Bedford | Alpena, Michigan
Tiffany Tracey | Alpena, Michigan
Angelina Villalobos | Seattle, Washington
Mural by Samantha Freske
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Mural by Hope Reed
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Mural by Samantha Freske
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2020 Installation
In the summer of 2020, the DDA commissioned TWO murals in downtown locations.
2019 InstallationView the mural completed in 2019 in person at 211 S. Second Ave., on the side of Family Enterprise Embroidery, Inc.
The 2019 mural was completed by artists Aaron Golbeck & Chad Bolsinger. |
FAQs
What is the "theme" of Fresh Waves?
There is no theme for Fresh Waves. So often public art is used as a vehicle for other agendas, celebrating history, or promoting science, or any other plethora of reasons. While using art for those purposes is wonderful, that is not the motivation behind Fresh Waves: The Downtown Mural Project. The purpose of Fresh Waves is to celebrate art as art, for art's sake. Fresh Waves is meant to honor creative freedom and bring fresh new fine art to the downtown landscape. Art that exists for its own purpose, to make you feel something, to make you ask questions. So there is no "theme" that drives Fresh Waves, but instead a mission to bring beautiful, one of a kind artwork by professional artists.
How do you choose artists? Who chooses the artists?
Artist Applications for Fresh Waves open each January and close in the middle of March. Artists of all skill levels are welcome and encouraged to apply. Artists are asked to fill out a short application, answer some questions about why they want to contribute to the Fresh Waves project, submit a resume & cost estimate, and share a few examples of their work. Professional artists with mural experience are preferred, and if artists without mural experience apply and are selected, one of our previous mural artists from years before would act as a mentor to help the artist execute their vision.
Artists are selected from the submitted applications by the DDA's Promotions & Marketing Committee which consists of 8 - 10 members of our downtown community that serve on the committee year round and also help make decisions on downtown events and the general marketing of the downtown experience. Ultimately, the major factors in the decision are the designs/mock-ups submitted, cost, and experience.
Once an artist is chosen, DDA staff will confirm with them and share photos of the interested locations for them to create specific mock-ups.
How do you choose locations? Who chooses the locations?
Locations are chosen through a similar process as artists. Applications for locations also open in January and close in the middle of March. Locations are also selected by the DDA's Promotions & Marketing Committee which consists of 8 - 10 members of our downtown community that serve on the committee year round and also help make decisions on downtown events and the general marketing of the downtown experience.
The major factors in determining location are the size, condition, material, and geographical location of the wall. Building owners submitting applications to be a location should also understand that because Fresh Waves is a celebration of creative freedom, they ultimately do not get to dictate the content of the mural in any way. The committee will rank the locations that applied. The DDA staff will then follow up with the locations in the order they were ranked to show them the mock-ups. Building owners will either accept the design as is, or reject the design and we'll move down the list of locations until the design is accepted.
I've never been to Alpena, can I still apply?
Yes! We encourage any and all experienced artists to apply for consideration. You do not need to be from Alpena or be associated with Alpena to apply. We love seeing all the different and unique perspectives that people from around the country have brought to our community. Past artists have been Alpena natives returning home, artists from Michigan and artists from other states. All are welcome to apply!
Do I need mural painting experience to apply?
Preferably, yes, AND if you submit a design we really love we may be able to pair you up with a past mural artist to bring your vision to life and help you gain the experience. This of course depends on their availability and your willingness to learn.
There is no theme for Fresh Waves. So often public art is used as a vehicle for other agendas, celebrating history, or promoting science, or any other plethora of reasons. While using art for those purposes is wonderful, that is not the motivation behind Fresh Waves: The Downtown Mural Project. The purpose of Fresh Waves is to celebrate art as art, for art's sake. Fresh Waves is meant to honor creative freedom and bring fresh new fine art to the downtown landscape. Art that exists for its own purpose, to make you feel something, to make you ask questions. So there is no "theme" that drives Fresh Waves, but instead a mission to bring beautiful, one of a kind artwork by professional artists.
How do you choose artists? Who chooses the artists?
Artist Applications for Fresh Waves open each January and close in the middle of March. Artists of all skill levels are welcome and encouraged to apply. Artists are asked to fill out a short application, answer some questions about why they want to contribute to the Fresh Waves project, submit a resume & cost estimate, and share a few examples of their work. Professional artists with mural experience are preferred, and if artists without mural experience apply and are selected, one of our previous mural artists from years before would act as a mentor to help the artist execute their vision.
Artists are selected from the submitted applications by the DDA's Promotions & Marketing Committee which consists of 8 - 10 members of our downtown community that serve on the committee year round and also help make decisions on downtown events and the general marketing of the downtown experience. Ultimately, the major factors in the decision are the designs/mock-ups submitted, cost, and experience.
Once an artist is chosen, DDA staff will confirm with them and share photos of the interested locations for them to create specific mock-ups.
How do you choose locations? Who chooses the locations?
Locations are chosen through a similar process as artists. Applications for locations also open in January and close in the middle of March. Locations are also selected by the DDA's Promotions & Marketing Committee which consists of 8 - 10 members of our downtown community that serve on the committee year round and also help make decisions on downtown events and the general marketing of the downtown experience.
The major factors in determining location are the size, condition, material, and geographical location of the wall. Building owners submitting applications to be a location should also understand that because Fresh Waves is a celebration of creative freedom, they ultimately do not get to dictate the content of the mural in any way. The committee will rank the locations that applied. The DDA staff will then follow up with the locations in the order they were ranked to show them the mock-ups. Building owners will either accept the design as is, or reject the design and we'll move down the list of locations until the design is accepted.
I've never been to Alpena, can I still apply?
Yes! We encourage any and all experienced artists to apply for consideration. You do not need to be from Alpena or be associated with Alpena to apply. We love seeing all the different and unique perspectives that people from around the country have brought to our community. Past artists have been Alpena natives returning home, artists from Michigan and artists from other states. All are welcome to apply!
Do I need mural painting experience to apply?
Preferably, yes, AND if you submit a design we really love we may be able to pair you up with a past mural artist to bring your vision to life and help you gain the experience. This of course depends on their availability and your willingness to learn.