There’s a stunning new landmark in town! A wall outside the fitness center on Mill Plain Road has been transformed by a striking new mural, recently commissioned by Fairfield resident and artist David Condon of andnowgraphics. We caught up with Dave to learn more about the inspiration behind the piece, his creative process and what goes into bringing a mural from an idea to a showstopping reality.
FLM: The new mural at Fairfield’s fitness center is amazing. Can you tell us how the project came about?
David Condon: Thank you! Last year, the town commissioned me to design and wrap the electrical box at Sherman Green. We invited Anthony Calabrese, the director of Fairfield Community Services, to the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Anthony had recently hired us to design the town’s tri-annual brochures. Not long after, Anthony asked if we would be interested in painting a mural on their beautiful white wall. I told him, “If you’d let me!” From there, we spent the year holding multiple meetings and patiently waiting for the right moment to bring the project to life.
FLM: Tell us about the idea behind the mural. How did you decide on the design direction for the piece? What was your inspiration?
DC: The idea for the wall mural came to me immediately. I've always wanted to create a vintage postcard design but haven't had the opportunity until now. During our initial concept meeting, when I presented the idea, the response was overwhelmingly positive. From there, it was a breeze starting the process.
FLM: Can you walk us through some of the design details that may be meaningful to the community? Were there specific things about this town or community that you wanted to capture in the piece?
DC: Fairfield has some beautiful, memorable landmarks. I wanted to include Anthony in the design process as much as possible. I proposed a few locations, and Anthony suggested highlighting the four main areas managed by the Parks and Recreation Department. From that point, we selected images that were visually appealing and compositionally effective for the wall. When creating this design, everything needed to be placed perfectly. I spent a week photographing each sight with multiple camera angles to get the right compositions. This was a photography session to start, into a design session, ending with a painting, a very large painting.
FLM: What are your favorite parts of the design? Is there a story, message, or meaning that might not be obvious at first glance?
DC: I’m a HUGE music fan. I have vivid memories of my wife and I spinning Talking Heads records and dancing around the house. Including the quote, “Home, this must be the place” was an absolute must for me. I knew that Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth of the Talking Heads were long-time Fairfield residents. It felt like a proper ode to the story of Fairfield. Chris Frantz heard about it from a mutual friend and stopped by to talk about it and take a photo together while I was painting one day! What a cool experience!
FLM: Murals seem very different from creating art in a studio or branding for a client. What’s the biggest challenge and the most fun part of working on such a large scale?
A: The process is the same as every other design project. Start with a concept, brainstorm, create multiple designs, polish those designs, then execution. Once the design was created in Illustrator, there were a few different methods we used to get the image on the wall. We had a grid system with the 25 custom colors to place throughout the wall. Instead of a computer screen it was magnified to a 30 ft wall and then working with mother nature for 12 hours a day. A handful of hours dodging rain and extreme heat didn't stop us from having so much fun! I would do it again in a heartbeat.
FLM: Do you have ideas for another large scale project?
DC: Actually, thank you for asking! I have had my eye on the retaining wall on the southbound side of the Fairfield train station for quite some time. Years ago, before Bill Gerber passed away, we had a conversation about painting a mural on that wall. My response to him was “If you let me!” While we were painting this mural, people passing by asked what I would paint next, when I gave my answer the response was positive. People would respond saying they’d love to see more of this around town, even on the underpasses. It was very cool to get the community’s feedback. We’ll see what the future holds.
FLM: Has the artwork inspired anything beyond the mural itself? Has the mural inspired any other creative projects or collaborations?
DC: We’re always working on some really creative projects with our customers. There’s a lot of cool stuff happening every week in our studio. Being able to keep the creative juices flowing is always key, it all coincides together. Now that the wall is finished, we’ve definitely had some collaboration inquiries.
FLM: The mural has certainly put your creative work in the spotlight. What other kinds of projects are keeping the studio busy, and has the mural led to any new collaborations?
DC: We are a creative design studio specializing in graphic design, branding, custom apparel and wide-format printing. We’re a design studio that also handles printing for our clients. While most businesses focus on either design or printing, we take a comprehensive approach. We love the local work and the community, and the relationships we have built. We’re always working on some really creative projects with our customers, so there’s a lot of cool stuff happening every week in our studio. Being able to keep the creative juices flowing is always key it all coincides together. Now that the wall is finished, we’ve definitely had some collaboration inquiries, which is exciting.
FLM: What do you want people to feel when they walk or drive past the mural? What do you hope it brings to the community?
DC: I want people to smile and be happy when they see this mural. The idea is to bring joy to people’s lives. I hope that it’s utilized as backdrops for people taking pictures: prom, graduation, visitors. It brightens up the area in such a busy location in our town and when you see it, it stuns you.
FLM : Since the mural went up, has there been a particular response that has been especially meaningful to you?
DC: Thank you to everyone who stopped by to talk to us and some who helped out while we were painting. The amount of positivity and joy from everyone who passed by was overwhelming and an incredible feeling as an artist. I want to thank Anthony for the wonderful opportunity to showcase my design skills and to beautify the Parks and Rec building. I wanted this mural to set a standard for the level of quality of work that represents our town. And Dave, if you’re reading this, thank you so much for the Dairy Queen for me and the team. That meant more to us than you know! It was a pleasure speaking with you everyday!
andhowgraphics
303 Linwood Ave Ste 1G,
Fairfield, CT 06824
203-293-0508
andhowgraphics.com