Artist Naomi Haverland stands next to her lifelike mural of children seemingly bouncing off the north wall of New Points Nutrition, 2859 W. Jefferson Ave. Sept. 20 during the Trenton Art Festival.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
TRENTON – Four new murals came to life along West Jefferson Avenue the third week of August, with the nearly completed works on view Sept. 20 during the city’s annual art fair.
The four artists’ works include: Kitsune Jolene of Belgium’s mural on Stronghold Church, 2714 W. Jefferson; Naomi Haverland of Orlando’s mural on New Points Nutrition, 2859 W. Jefferson; Kevin Burdick of Fenton’s mural on Trenton Express Market, 2471 W. Jefferson; and Jesse Kassel of Detroit’s mural on Q Nails & Spa, 2455 W. Jefferson.
Jolene said it was suggested that she provide a mural with waterfowl, so she included Canada geese in her design.
“I just kept to my signature palette and it became this,” she said, gesturing to the mural. “Just very bold colors that lend themselves quite well to poetic images.”
Artist Kevin Burdick works on his mural on the Trenton Express Market, 2471 W. Jefferson Ave. on Sept. 20 during the Trenton Art Festival.
Jolene said the pendant on a chain in the bird’s beak represents the stars and celestial bodies that Canada geese use to navigate at night when they migrate.
She said the flowers in the mural are blue irises, which are native to Michigan.
Jolene said the people passing by to watch the mural’s progress were enthusiastic, and told her a mural had been sought for the wall for many years without city officials finding an artist willing to take on the challenge of the building’s surface texture.
“I’m really tired but I’m really grateful because I’ve learned a lot through this one,” she said. “The texture was really scary, but it ended up being beneficial, and now I’m feeling more secure in myself, because if I can paint this, I can paint anything.”
Haverland, who created a mural featuring three energetic break-dancing young children who seem to be ready to bounce off the wall, said she is a full-time muralist who does corporate and more artistic installations.
She did a bright candy-themed mural the week prior in Allen Park, and said it was a challenge to do two murals back-to-back without a break.
“It’s been intense to do two in a row, so it’s been a little bit intense but super fun, and both of my designs I was really excited about, which really adds to my energy level,” Haverland said.
She said she was motivated to draw the dancing children to reflect the nearby dance studio, the Trenton School of Dance at 2837 W. Jefferson.
“So, I just took dancing children as my inspiration and went from there,” Haverland said. “Break dancers are just super dynamic, so that’s definitely a plus compositionally speaking, and I do love watching break dancers – they are super talented.”
She said her goal was to capture images of children in intense, dynamic poses.
“I thought it would be just really fun to have people see kids being whimsical, being creative, and I thought that would be an inspiring image,” Haverland said.
She said she received positive feedback from people passing by when she was at work on the mural, saying they loved the children’s faces and expressions, as well as the colors.
“I love getting positive feedback,” Haverland said. “It really fuels my energy to keep painting, and it’s been fun to see the community’s enthusiasm about it.”
She said it gets hot up on the lift, but, fortunately, her wall was in the shade.
“Last week I was in sun and it was a little brutal,” she said. “Jolene’s in the sun this week and I’m in the shade this week, so I felt definitely lucky.”
Burdick, who painted a Detroit Lions-themed mural in Allen Park recently, painted his Trenton mural on a south-facing wall that also put him in the sun.
He said they had an idea of people gathering and getting together, so he submitted a design the building owner and city officials approved.
“It’s meant to just kind of represent community coming together and having a good time and getting off your phone,” Burdick said. “‘Not a phone in sight’ is the name of the mural.”
He said all of the images are generic except the pianist, who is based on his cousin Colin Hodgkin, who plays professionally in New York City.
Belgian artist Kitsune Jolene (right) poses Sept. 20 near her mural on Stronghold Church, 2714 W. Jefferson Ave. during the Trenton Art Festival.
Burdick said he was in the sun every day and it was brutal.
“I think it was the hottest I’ve ever painted in September,” he said. “It was unreal, but I will take the heat over rain any day.”
He said he was painting in 100-degree weather in Texas three before painting in Trenton.
“The sun wears you down a little bit, but if you drink enough water and coffee and energy drinks, it should do,” Burdick said.
He said he enjoys it when people come by to talk while he is working on a mural.
“I’m a very talkative person,” he said. “I would get done a little sooner if I didn’t talk so much, but being a solitary business what I do, when they do come by it’s nice.”
Burdick said he enjoys networking with other artists as well.
“You never know when somebody will walk by and see your mural and want you to do another one,” he said. “That’s how we make a living, basically.”
Artist Kevin Burdick works on his mural on the Trenton Express Market, 2471 W. Jefferson Ave. on Sept. 20 during the Trenton Art Festival.
Artist Jesse Kassel’s completed mural adorns the south wall of Q Nails and Spa, 2455 W. Jefferson Ave. Sept. 20 during the Trenton Art Festival.