Burlington artist, design chosen for Waterbury Community Mural project
May 25, 2023 | By Lisa Scagliotti 
Art chosen for the new mural on the back of 29 Stowe Street portrays the Black Madonna by Raphaella Brice. Courtesy image
The Public Art Team of the Waterbury Area Anti-Racism Coalition has announced its artist and design choice for the Waterbury Community Mural project planned for the back side of the building at 29 Stowe Street.
Project organizers have selected Burlington graphic artist Raphaella (Raph) Brice who has created a colorful image titled “Madonna’s Earth” featuring the Black Madonna. Brice is a self-taught, queer digital artist and emerging multimedia muralist who works with paint, vinyl, and laser-etched objects.
The design along with a video featuring Brice are on the project’s fundraising website. The project is looking to raise $10,000 by June 30 to be eligible for a state grant that will add another $20,000.
In describing the design, Brice notes a strong influence from their Hatian-American Catholic family background and points to the Black Madonna as “the purest divine feminine in human history,” and a reminder of the sacredness of life, and the need for care and nourishment.
“The Black Madonna is both a living reality and archetypal embodiment of human behavior,” Brice writes. “Through her loving acceptance of all of us and valuing the interrelatedness of life, the Black Madonna brings us to wholeness and stillness.”
Project organizers sought a mural design inspired by the anti-racism group’s mission of creating a community in which every individual experiences “freedom, belonging, and love on a daily basis.” The group works to challenge racism on both the interpersonal and systemic levels while promoting learning around inclusion.
Raphaella (Raph) Brice, courtesy photo
In an artist statement, Brice said, “I describe my style as ‘cultural-psychedelic’ — where culture meets the surrealism of my inner and outer expression of the world as a black femme body. I mainly draw knowledge from my Haitian-Catholic background and use spiritual and mystical concepts to celebrate the human consciousness shift happening in the world today.”
Brice added that, “the art I create portrays the layers of human existence while using exuberant color palettes to create timeless visual stories.”
An archetype representing the mother of Jesus Christ, Black Madonna is both “paradox and ambiguity,” Brice writes. “Through her loving acceptance of all of us, and valuing the interrelatedness of all life, the Black Madonna brings us to wholeness and stillness.”
The colorful design depicts the Madonna surrounded by multi-racial people and angels with her cloak enveloping the group. “The piece illustrates her pure love through providing shelter to peoples of all walks of life, who are peacefully standing or playing under her dress – inspired by a Haitian Vodou story from the book, ‘Nan Domi’ by Mimerose Beaubrun,” Brice explains.
Last year, Burlington City Arts and the city Office of Racial, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging commissioned Brice to create a mural in connection with the 2022 Juneteenth celebration. Titled, “Black Madonna & Black Child of Hope,” the artwork is mounted on Burlington’s Fletcher Free Library. Photos of the piece during design and creation along with its description can be found online at raphdraws.com/artportfolio/juneteenth-mural-2022.
Project organizers said they selected Brice’s design from several proposals.
“The Selection Committee was impressed by Raphaella’s artistic vision, interpreted through her unique experiences while simultaneously speaking to universal truths. This mural will beautify our town, compel community conversations, and amplify Waterbury as a local and tourist destination for arts and culture, expanding the creative economy,” they said in announcing the choice.
With just over $5,300 raised as of May 24, the Waterbury Community Mural project is more than halfway to its fundraising goal. The $30,000 budget will cover artist fees, construction, labor, materials, equipment, installation, etc. An additional fundraising event will be held for the project on June 4 at Zenbarn, 4 to 6 p.m., that will include a raffle with prizes from local businesses.
Once the financial piece is complete, community members will be invited to get involved to help paint the mural in August, according to organizers MK Monley and Chiyomi McKibbin. Details on signing up and the schedule will be announced later this summer. They said they are currently working on a location for the project to happen.
Monley explained that the design will be painted on 4-foot by 8-foot panels and then mounted to the building. Given the specific image now in mind, the dimensions of the mural have changed slightly from the initial request for proposals for 12 x 26 feet to 8 feet tall x 24 feet wide, Monley said.
The site for the mural is the back of the building alongside the Stowe Street bridge where Stowe Street Cafe and Bridgeside Books are located.
More information about the project and Brice is online at waterburyantiracism.com.