BANGOR, Maine — While walking through downtown Bangor, you may notice two new murals on Hammond Street that were recently installed by nonprofit Bangor Beautiful.
"Our whole mission is to create and cultivate projects that beautify Bangor," Bangor Beautiful board member Heather Davis said.
They're projects that not only beautify the city but also represent the deep culture and extensive wildlife in Maine: the ground mural depicting a flowing river from Katahdin that was designed by members of the Wabanaki Nations or the honeybee-themed art on 47 Park St.
"We are really passionate about giving a voice and honoring the Wabanaki people here and Indigenous tribes, as well as speaking to the importance of preserving natural resources as well as restoring native species," Davis said.
Bangor Beautiful's most recent art installation titled "Spring Woods" also focuses on some of the state's iconic flora and fauna like fiddleheads and a wood frog.
Many exploring downtown have noticed the addition of the murals, like Dedham resident Kim Foster and her mother Janice Earl.
"It really adds to the community feel of it," Foster said.
"It brings out the niceness in people, too. It makes people want to get out more and interact with each other," Earl added.
Downtown businesses, like Bangor Wine and Cheese which sits right next to the two new murals, have also been paying attention to the recent surge in public art.
"It really shows the effort that Bangor in general, and especially Bangor Beautiful, is putting in to making this a better place to be for tourists, for people who live and work here. It's fantastic," owner Eric Mihan said.
Bangor Beautiful hopes these murals not only give something pretty for people to look at, but also help bring the community together through the creation of art.
"There's something powerful about not only just finding a community to do life with but also to collaborate with on such important and meaningful endeavors," Davis said.
The nonprofit will be partnering with Abraham Lincoln Elementary over the coming months to start working on their next mural that will be inspired by the school's community garden.