Scranton Ballet Company
Scranton, PA
Bees and the Ballet
This mural was made possible by Scranton Tomorrow, The Wright Center, Lackawanna College, Lackawanna Heritage Valley, University of Scranton, Space Time Meade and Cider Works, Terrana Law PC, Smargiassi Construction, Kevin and Colleen Zwick, NEPA Powerwash LLC, Wallis Electric, David Yezefski and several other organizations.
Scranton Tomorrow had been working on finding a location since before covid. Things almost solidified, then covid set us back. But as with so many things along this journey, everything was happening exactly as it was meant to. Eventually, the Scranton Ballet Company offered a wall and we were in beesness! I used to have a rule that I do not anthropomorphize the bees. But when I saw the little girls in tutus at the ballet school, I couldn’t help myself. Also, over the last 8 years I have realized that some parameters around a project like The Good of the Hive are good, but strict rules seem to limit the possibilities rather than expand them. Progress, not perfection in one of my mantras.
The Process
This mural was painted over the course of six weeks in the fall of 2022. Because the location is only about one hour from my home, I had the rare luxury of being able to sleep in my own bed some nights! I loved walking through the ballet school each day. Not a lot of people know my dream as a kid was to be a dancer.
The Community
This mural, as well as every other pollinator I have painted, is not just about bees. The people in each community where I paint are what make the projects so powerful. Scranton is not like any other small city I know. It isn’t a city of skyscrapers and flashiness that grabs you the moment you are downtown. It is the people of this city that bring it to life. Honestly, these folks are some of the best I’ve met throughout the entire project.
I was BLOWN AWAY with a choreographed performance by the ballet company at the dedication ceremony!
