October 23, 2023 | By Deb Everts | Salamanca Press
The Seneca Salamanca Chamber of Commerce has launched its “Painting With Purpose” mural project with the first piece of art created on the west wall of Petruzzi Insurance Agency on Broad Street. Shown from left (above) are Chamber CEO John Sheehan, artist Karlene Familio (Seneca, Allegany Territory) and Joe Bierfeldt, co-owner of the insurance agency.
Artist Karlene Familio is shown (left) applying the temporary portrait of Chief Cornplanter, which is seven feet tall and 5.8 feet wide. A permanent version of Cornplanter will be installed next year.
SALAMANCA — Thanks to a city-wide beautification project under the direction of the Seneca Salamanca Chamber of Commerce, people will soon have interesting and educational murals to seek out when they visit.
The chamber launched its “Painting With Purpose” mural project earlier this summer with the first piece of wall art completed in August. Chamber CEO John Sheehan said the chamber’s goal for 2024 is to paint murals throughout the city.
“Each mural will have a QR-Code that links to the chamber’s website. It will educate the 3.5 million visitors on the artist, history of the art, the business, Seneca Culture and the history of Salamanca,” he explained. “Once the mural is completed, we will create a map to draw those visitors throughout our city to improve economic development.”
Sheehan said the idea is to transform blank wall spaces into thriving public destinations with vibrant and engaging public arts showcasing the city’s history and culture.
The west wall of Petruzzi Insurance Agency was selected to be the pilot for the project. The business, located at 680 Broad St., presents a mural that is approximately 36 feet wide and eight feet tall.
Joe Bierfeldt, co-owner of the insurance company with John Petruzzi, said he jumped at the chance to help beautify the city and do what he could for the community. He thinks it’s a wonderful project and the start of bigger and better things for the city of Salamanca.
“I thought it would be a great opportunity for both the Seneca Nation and for the city,” he said. “I’m happy and proud to be the first business to participate.”
CHOSEN TO paint the first mural was Seneca artist Karlene Familio. Sheehan said she was recommended by Hayden Haynes, director of the Onohsagwe:de’ Cultural Center who also oversees Good Medicine Creatives, an art collective of which she is a member.
Originally from the Allegany Territory, Familio is an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation of Indians Hawk Clan and currently resides on the Cattaraugus Territory. The self-taught artist said she has been painting for nearly 20 years.
Bierfeldt said he gave Familio full-reign on the entire process of creating the mural from its color and design to the subject matter. Familio said the floral design on the mural are old Iroquois designs. She said they are found in books and on traditional Iroquois regalia.
“I chose Chief Cornplanter because I was inspired through my cultural teachings and my family,” she said. “If you read about Cornplanter, he was a great warrior amongst the Seneca people and he was the main one who led the Senecas through the Revolutionary War.
“Many of us (present day Senecas) are descendants of Cornplanter. I am as well.”
Familio said she started the mural in early July and completed it the first week of August. She said it took a little longer than expected due to some trial and error issues that came up along the way.
“The difficult part was trying to find a printer to print out Cornplanter’s portrait which is seven feet tall and 5.8 feet wide,” she said.
According to Familio, the current paper portrait is coated with matte gloss and temporarily secured to the building with homemade wheat paste. A permanent version will be placed on plywood and covered with clear resin when warm weather comes again.
“I have been offered other opportunities just because of this one mural,” she said. “If it wasn’t for this mural, I wouldn’t have these other opportunities that have come along since its completion.”
THE PROJECT plan calls for forming a steering committee that oversees selecting the artist, guiding the design and overseeing the project, explained Gary Quattrone, chamber marketing coordinator.
He said the steering committee might include the business owner who owns the wall to be painted, a representative from the city, a volunteer from an arts organization or a volunteer with a background in the arts and a representative from the historical society.
“The wall/building chosen does not need to be solely on the main thoroughfare,” he said. “It’s within the scope of the project to bring visitors to all parts of the city and bring awareness to local businesses wherever they may be located.”
Sheehan said there are presently eight other locations where they hope to put up murals in the future. He said they hope to have 10 to 16 different murals located throughout the city when the project is completed.
“With the assistance of Dr. Fileve Palmer from Southern Tier West, we are in the process of filling out a grant application for funding,” he said. “Any award notices will not be until later this year. If awarded, grant available funds will be released in 2024.
“We are so thankful to Joe Bierfeldt from Petruzzi Insurance and artist Karlene Familio for seeing our vision and investing in ‘Painting With Purpose.’”
If anyone knows of a mural artist, please have them contact the chamber at (716) 945-2034. For up-to-date information on the murals, visit online at salamancachamber.org.
