Milton Arts Guild helps create mural for local coffee roastery
A group of Milton Arts Guild artists recently completed a large mural on the side of Milton Home Coffee Roastery at 105 Lavinia St., helping owner Lara Ozden achieve her vision of a large-scale image that depicts all the elements of her journey.
Guild artists gathered Sept. 23 with Ozden at the roastery for a group photo and a celebration of the multifaceted, multiday project.
“This was my dream,” said Ozden. “I am so happy and grateful to everyone who helped me achieve my vision. Our roastery is warm and friendly, and we now have a mural that invites people in.”
The mural project began with Ozden’s dream that she would love to have a painting on the large, white outer wall of her establishment. Annette Babich, a frequent roastery customer and former town council member, told Ozden she also thought a mural would look nice on the side of the building. Ozden described her desire to have the mural combine elements of her youth in Turkey with her chosen home in Milton.
Meanwhile, Lavinia Street resident Liz Miceli, a Milton Arts Guild member and owner of Elizabeth Anne Gallery just feet from the roastery, heard about the possible mural and discussed it with Jeff Crawford, MAG’s director of exhibits. The two approached Ozden and said Milton Arts Guild artists could make the mural a reality.
Ozden was stunned. “Liz and Jeff came in and volunteered Milton Arts Guild to paint my mural,” she said.
Babich put her own artistic skills to work to design the mural, which combines elements of Delaware, like the great blue heron, along with elements that remind Ozden of her native Turkey, like the flowers that frame the sides of the painting.
Crawford put out a call for volunteers to MAG artists who wanted to be part of the project, and, he said, “We had a really enthusiastic response from members.”
Crawford also talked with the folks at Rogers Sign Company, located across Lavinia Street from Milton Home Coffee Roastery, about the types of paint that would work best for the outdoor mural. Rogers Sign, which provides parking for the roastery, generously donated the paint for the project.
A group of 14 MAG artists, including Miceli and Crawford, began the work of mapping out the mural, creating the lettering and painting. They were Donna Sheppard, Randi Meredith, Phoebe Canakis, Candace Barbaccia, Patti DiCampli, Inez Steele, Carol Yost, Jenn Johnson, Kathy Huegel, Tricia Whitmore, Donna Ketchison and Michael Ng.
Although the group was hampered by rain, artists worked in small teams and had the mural completed over the course of seven or eight sessions.
Crawford said, “This was an ambitious project with a lot of moving parts, but it all came together.”
Milton Arts Guild, located at 107 Federal St. in historic downtown Milton, celebrates creativity in all forms of visual arts by engaging the community through an array of educational opportunities, events, exhibits and benevolent programs. Fueled by its volunteer members and supported by a large and diverse community locally and beyond, Milton Arts Guild welcomes everyone to explore the power of art and to inspire them in their own creativity. For more information, visit miltonartsguild.org.
