As a way to beautify the exterior of its newly-opened Made for Good shop, Kenmore Village Improvement Society (KVIS) has commissioned artist Cassandra Ott to paint a mural on the building’s facade.
The mural features a number of pollinators hidden amongst the plants. Passersby can count the exact number of pollinators, upon which time they can walk inside the shop to tell the attendant their calculated guess. Anyone that gets the number right will be handed some pollinator stickers!
It was back in June when KVIS first opened its retail store at 7 Warren Avenue in Kenmore (near the corner of Delaware Avenue), which specializes in handcrafted items. In order to open the grassroots business, KVIS took over a building that needed some sprucing up. The addition of this new mural goes a long way towards adding much-needed vibrancy to the building, and to the street. Aside from being pretty, the interactive mural is also a visual reminder of the importance of planting and nurturing native plants that help support bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, according to KVIS.
“We hope that this beautiful mural inspires everyone seeing it to actively join in helping daytime and nighttime pollinators to thrive,” said KVIS President, Melissa Foster. “Planting native plants, eliminating harmful chemical applications on lawns, and providing habitat for pollinators isn’t difficult to do but it can make such a positive difference in the health of our community and the planet.”
Muralist, Cassandra Ott said, “I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to create this sweet and colorful mural in Kenmore. The goal was to create a beautiful garden that could be enjoyed year round, and help spread the word about native plants and pollinators. I hope residents and visitors have fun finding the hidden pollinators, and enjoy this little slice of spring and summer year round for years to come.”
For more information on ways to help cherish our trees and save the bees and other pollinators, please visit www.savethebeeswny.com. The KVIS pollinator mural has been made possible with funding provided by the Office of the New York State Attorney General and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation through the Tonawanda Community Environmental Benefits Program.
The Made for Good shop is an initiative of the Kenmore Village Improvement Society. The shop features locally handmade items that enable the Artists and Makers to do what they love and enables the KVIS to continue to serve the community. August hours are: Wednesday-Friday 3-7 pm, Saturday 10am-3 pm.