Artists work on mural project at 2020 Laundromat in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD — Justin Masse and Summer Zhou, owners of the 20/20 Laundromat, and Fresh Paint Springfield debuted the community’s latest mural with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday.

Family, staff and third grade student artists of the William N. DeBerry elementary school, along with state and local officials gathered to admire the collaborative work of the class and lead artist Gabriela Sepulveda at 169 Hancock St

The vibrant and playful mural is facing King Street was inspired by “How Things Work” by Neil Richard Ardley, a book Masse said was a part of his childhood and has become apart of Zhou’s family in China’s as it is sold in multiple languages.

“It is an easy illustration book using cartoons to explain science,” Masse said. “I always remembered and was inspired by this book. I hoped this mural would bring a little bit of that.”

The 36- by 18-foot exterior wall is covered in a landscape of whimsical laundromat machinery, contraptions, animals swimming, working and relaxing.

With the use of the poly-tab technique the mural will last up to 25 to 30 years and what’s good about that is when these kids become adults they can come back and visit their work, Masse said.

Catherine Kabochi, a third-grade teacher at DeBerry, said the children are overwhelmed to see the end of the project.

Aleyda Torres, also a third-grade teacher, said this project comes directly from a new curriculum and students now have first hand experience with little ideas that turn into big ones that change the face of the community.

“We need more of this,” Torres said. “This was a break out moment. ... A real life experience on what we were learning.”

The new curriculum has allowed teachers the flexibility to step away from academics to create a hands-on learning experience Kabochi said.

Both educators say that with COVID hands-on learning and filed trips have been a great memory of a distant past that they are now trying to recreate for students post-pandemic.

According to Kabochi, this little idea has sparked an even greater interest with the Savvas Learning Company who provides the new curriculum, as the company has reached out to interview students and staff who worked on the mural project.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for DeBerry to connect with the lessons planned by their teachers. We are grateful for this event and to be able to strengthen the ties of the students and DeBerry with the community in which many of them live,” Principle Elizabeth Fazio said.

“The culmination activity in reading program is new to the district and it gives teachers the ability to make changes to support and connect with their students,” Fazio said.

Fresh Paint founder Britt Ruhe said all of this would not have been possible without both collaborators reaching out to her.

“Businesses have a relationship with the community and a good relationship makes you want to give back and do more,” Masse said.

“We have been challenged in the last two years with the pandemic to step up to the plate and have transformed education each time. This time we have something cool to show the city. We had a big idea and it changed the face of the community literally. We want to see more change in the future. The kids deserve better because they are our future,” Torres said.

In a special presentation the third grade class created a poem and recited it before handing out their own declarations of recognition for all who collaborated with them in making this big idea possible which included state Sen. Adam Gomez D-Springfield, Ruhe, Sepulveda, Zhou and Masse.

“This wouldn’t have happened without Springfield. I came here and Springfield took me in and I love this freaking city,” Sepulveda said after thanking her crew of assistant artists.

According to Sepulveda last year she interned with Fresh Paint where she learned the poly-tab technique and how to work with the community.

“The pregnancy is over and I am seeing the fruit of the labor,” she said.

Senator Gomez said when he was a city councilor, he was approached by Ruhe, with a small idea to changed the face of the community with art and culture.

Noting that other major neighboring city’s have murals throughout their community and that is where the mural festival was born.

Starting downtown, the hope is for the murals to spill over into the Hill-McKnight, and South and North Ends of the city.

“Slowly but surely we will begin to see more beautiful masterpieces flourishing through our community,” he said. “Common Wealth Murals bring people and the community together.”

“The kids will grow up and bring their families here and say look what I helped create. I am apart of the neighborhood DNA,” Gomez said.

Gomez presented $50,000 check to Common Wealth Murals funded by the American Rescue Plan Act to continue to spread the art and culture not only downtown but throughout the city.

“I am impressed by the murals across the community and want to see the continued good work,” said State Representative Orlando Ramos D-Springfield.

“We have to believe in kids. They can become anything. We just have to dig a little deeper,” Kabochi said.

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