A new downtown mural — more of an “Instagram Wall” containing a large set of butterfly wings in the alley (Charlie Watson Lane) along Steele Street — is one step closer to becoming reality after Sanford’s Historic Preservation Commission approved a certificate of appropriateness Monday night.
The wings will be painted next to the “Before I die” wall, which allows downtown pedestrians to fill in a “before I die, ___________” prompt on a large chalkboard. The wings will be approximately 11 to 15 feet tall and will be considered an “interactive” art display, as people will be able to stand in front of them and take on the appearance of a giant, winged human for their social media posts.
The artist will be Chris Dalton, who has also painted downtown’s “Off to War,” “Fairview Dairy,” and “Tobacco History” murals. She also painted the interactive “Bringing the Arts Together” spinning wheel mural on South Horner Boulevard.
The mural will be partly funded by the Building Improvement Grant from Downtown Sanford Inc. The grant’s purpose is to provide incentives to property owners for exterior improvements, public art and life and safety interior improvements. DSI has a total of $15,000 available for grants through June 30 — the grants must be matched by private funding, and the maximum grant for each project is $5,000.