Youth Services is more colorful than ever with the addition of an original work of art inspired by this year’s summer reading challenge: Unearth a Story. This paleontologist’s dream theme encourages adventurous readers of all ages to discover new books and authors, digging deep within all kinds of topics to discover ideas, stories, and other hidden treasures. I interviewed the artists Miles Maffei and Amber Manoski to discuss the creation of the whimsical mural, which will be on display in the third floor front windows through Dinovember.
Q: How does it feel to be the first artists to paint a mural for the third floor?
A. We both feel honored. It’s great to be given an opportunity to get kids excited about reading, dinosaurs and art! We’re hoping the success of the mural opens doors for other artists to collaborate with Youth Services and that the window murals become a recurring event for patrons to enjoy.
Q. How did you come up with the design?
A. We started the design process by deciding what sort of vibe we wanted: something fun, playful and eye-catching. From there we brainstormed about Paleolithic art iconography—what images stuck with us from when we were kids. We came up with fun vignettes of volcanic eruptions, dinosaur nests with eggs, strange foliage, underground fossils, etc. For the dinosaurs themselves we knew we wanted each to have its own personality that kids could connect with. The T-Rex was too classic to pass up, but we also did some research on other more niche dinosaurs and explored some of the mammals, aquatic life and insects of the time.
What was particularly neat about creating this window mural were the borders created by the windowpanes themselves, which act almost as comic panels. Ultimately we decided on a design that was more character-forward with an open background, letting the scenery of the Princeton downtown shine through.
Q. What was it like to collaborate on the project?
A. This was the first public art piece we’ve ever worked on collaboratively. Painting is far more enjoyable when the other is present: you have someone to get input and support from, someone to smile with when we overhear something funny. The painting always goes incredibly fast. The only indicators of the passage of time are the visual progress we make and the surprising soreness we feel afterwards. We quickly learned the importance of taking breaks, often reminding each other other to drink and occasionally change positions. After working until the last possible minute, we often walked around Princeton and got a nice meal as a sort of prize for working hard. There’s something very rewarding about sitting outside eating pizza with paint still on your hands and a slight ache in your back.
Q. What were some of the funny or notable interactions with patrons?
A. The patrons have been incredibly supportive and encouraging throughout the painting process. Some of the best reactions came from children being their honest, enthusiastic selves. There’s nothing more encouraging than hearing a kid go “Whoahh!” as they emerge from the elevator. Many parents opened a discussion with their kids about the patience and skill that comes with painting. We both had instances where a kid just sat down and chatted with us as we worked, going from discussing their favorite dinosaur in the mural to what ice cream flavor is best. We loved hearing which dinosaurs each kid attached themselves to and why. The project was incredibly uplifting for both of us and we are very grateful for the wonderful patrons and staff we met in the process. It has been a joy and we hope to work with Princeton Public Library again in the future!
In addition to the mural, Youth Services has a prehistorically packed calendar of events, including the upcoming Tiny T-Rex Party with author Johnathan Stutzman on July 24, a Super Yoshi Party on August 7 and the Summer Reading Wrap-Up Celebration Dance Party on August 15.
Photo credit: Megan McCafferty