News Photo by Steve Shulwitz
This new mural at PIF Cider in Alpena features colorful art with human face likenesses incorporated into it. The mural also included motivational quotes.
ALPENA — In Alpena and Rogers City, it is hard to walk too far without noticing large, colorful, and creative murals.
More downtown art is likely on the way for both communities in the coming months and years, which local officials say should bolster tourism and help make small businesses more profitable.
The murals also help spruce up dull or unattractive buildings and make the area more appealing aesthetically.
In and around downtown Alpena, there are 28 murals, most of which are within walking distance of one another. Alpena Downtown Development Director Anne Gentry said as the number of murals grows, so does the interest in them. She said Alpena has become a destination for people who want to visit Alpena for the murals and everything else it has to offer.
“We are getting questions from people asking if maps are available for the murals so people can walk and see them all,” she said. “Also, that beautifies the area, creates excitement downtown, and helps take some of the walls that needed work and were blank and form them into something that is beautiful.”
News Photo by Steve Shulwitz
This mural on the rear of the Alpena store Rusty Petunias adds some pizzazz to the alley behind one of Alpena’s popular shopping areas.
Mural maps should be available to people by the end of the month.
This summer, Rogers City hosted its first Murals on Main festival, and artists worked on new murals in the city as locals and visitors celebrated them.
Katy Carignan, who is the fundraising chairman for the event, said the event went over well and plans are already in motion to host it again from June 9 to 15 next year. She said since the murals were painted, they have become popular with residents of Presque Isle County and people who choose Rogers City as a destination to explore. She said local small businesses in town have seen an uptick in traffic in their stores.
“After the mural festival, I noticed the town seemed a little more busy and when I talked to our local small business owners, they told me people were coming here to see the murals,” Carignan said. “I believe it just makes the towns feel more exciting, energetic, and that there are good things happening.”
Carignan said plans are already in the works for more murals and details about them would be released in the future.
News Photo by Steve Shulwitz
This new mural in Alpena is located in the Alley between 2nd Avenue and 1st Avenue. It features many of the native animals in Northeast Michigan.
Many of the murals in downtown Alpena were commissioned via the Fresh Waves project, Gentry said. She said the initiative will continue as long as businesses and property owners continue to show interest and remain engaged. Eventually, Gentry said, space for new murals will become an issue, but when that happens, she said the older murals, which are showing wear, will be either touched up or painted over with new ones.
“We have different styles, themes, and content, so not every mural appeals to every person, which is the point,” she said. “Some are abstract and subjective, while others are more pointed and represent where we live and are tied to the location. We want different styles and different themes.”
Alpena will welcome one more mural this year when an artist from Hawaii will paint a mural on the office building across from the Dairy Queen on Chisholm Street beginning today.
Gentry said next year, the DDA wants to have murals painted just on the outskirts of downtown, further down Chisholm Street or 2nd Avenue. She said sprucing up the new DDA expansion area is a goal and murals will help achieve that, while still making it only a short walk for people who want to tour the murals.
News Photo by Steve Shulwitz
Although Shalla’s gas station in Alpena isn’t a part of downtown, the business still had a mural painted that depicts sparks flying around a welder while he works.
News Photo by Steve Shulwitz
One of the newest murals in Alpena is at Clem’s Bait and Tackle.
Courtesy Photo
Anna Charney, of Denver, Colorado , stands in front of a large mural she created in Rogers City. Organizers of the mural festival say more murals are in store for next year.
Courtesy Photo
This mural of a child playing with a toy sailboat is located on the Cory Budnick State Farm building.
Courtesy Photo
This large mural by the parking lot of the Lighthouse Restaurant features a large salmon and a freighter. Both the fish and the ship are staples to Rogers City’s identity.
Courtesy Photo
This mural in Rogers City has sort of a tropical theme that covers the entirety of a large building. People are traveling to Rogers City to check out the new works of art.
Courtasy Art
This mural painted by Rachel Klein of Rogers City covered all four sides of this small structure with murals.
Courtasy Art
This mural painted by Rachel Klein of Rogers City covered all four sides of this small structure with murals.
Courtasy Art
This mural painted by Rachel Klein of Rogers City covered all four sides of this small structure with murals.
Courtasy Art
This mural painted by Rachel Klein of Rogers City covered all four sides of this small structure with murals.