Hello, friends and neighbors!

We are excited to announce that we are making strides toward our long-planned, community-oriented public art project–a full-wall mural on the north side of our East 6th St. building, to be created by the nationally recognized local artist Ronald Layman. We are thrilled that our proposal for this project has been approved by the Frederick Arts Council and the HPC, both of whom said they were so pleased to see public art being created at the north end of downtown.

Inspired by Carroll Creek’s stone arch “Friendship Bridge”, this public artwork will depict the local treasure over rippled water, with images of the bridge and a lotus-like mandala centerpiece reflected in the stream below. The mandala will evoke ancient airs of civilizations past, with the lotus theme representing our collective humanity and connectedness.

The inspiration for this project came from the East Street charrette forums held last August, where many residents of our area spoke of finding ways to connect “downtown to uptown”.  The intent of the mural is to create a visual anchor for visitors and residents of the North Market Area (NOMA), which is becoming known for its art galleries, in addition to creating a symbol of local culture. The mural will celebrate the charm of Carroll Creek–our iconic downtown staple–while adding to the beauty of our uptown neighborhood.