Mayor Sarno states, “Always a pleasure to sit down and talk with my friend and talented artist Don Blanton. When he approached me with his idea of continuing to celebrate the Juneteenth holiday with a special mural in our city, I was more than happy to meet with him with my Chief Development Officer Tim Sheehan so that we can discuss his ideas and review some locations that might be of interest. His artistic talents stem from the 1960’s when he and his brother Paul used art to try to calm down crowds during times of unrest. The mural they painted on State Street at the former Robbins Beauty Supply building, ‘Heritage on the Wall’ is a testament to his passion, love and work. I am looking forward to working with Don as we review a potential site on State Street to proudly display his art work as we continue to celebrate our Juneteenth holiday. Stay tuned for more details in the near future.”
In the News
Mayor Sarno and CDO Sheehan sit down with Renowned Springfield Artist Don Blanton
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City News
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Chief Development Officer Tim Sheehan and Mayoral Aide Shenell Ford met with renowned Springfield artist Don Blanton today to discuss his plans to celebrate Juneteenth with a special mural. Blanton, who is also an art teacher, has showcased his talents and pieces of art work at various venues across the country, including at the Big E, Baystate Children’s Hospital, Disney World and Animal Kingdom, just to name a few. He is known for his passion working with our local youth, including our students from Duggan Middle School, and teaching them how to paint and also how to use it as a calming mechanism during stressful times. He has also worked closely with the Children’s Study Home and Shriners Hospital.
