The backside of the Owen B. Augspurger Parking Ramp has a colorful future. Artist Casey Milbrand has been chosen to paint a mural on the Franklin Street side of the ramp which is just south of Chippewa Street. A streetscape project was recently completed along both streets.
The Buffalo Arts Commission has recommended that the Common Council approve the $54,000 project today.
Design Goals from the Proposal
My goal is to create a mural that is entertaining, a little sassy, and whimsical that represents the confident attitude of the people of The Queen City. For years we’ve told everyone we know that Buffalo is far more beautiful than people could imagine. Everyone else finally figured out that we are cool. We always want to shake the idea that Buffalo is only known for snow and cold winters. It is for this exact reason I want to create Buffalo’s first winter themed mural. BUT with a spin. No other city “does” winter like Buffalo and it’s a huge missed opportunity not to embrace this. There is no other time of year that really showcases our strength as a city.
Mural Concept
Every winter we wait as we watch the snow fall and look forward to the warmer months. We embrace the cold and head to the convention center dressed in 70’s clothes. When winter is over we get excited to see the bulbs popping up through the ground. This signals that spring is here and soon thousands of people will be walking through our gardens for the annual Buffalo GardenWalk. Without winter we wouldn’t have the unique “Buffalo Garden” with its pops of color fromthe bulbs we plant. As the weather warms up, the fire engine red painted EM Cotter fireboat breaks through the ice on the river and the lake making way for spring. A character called “The Lake Queen” and her story started to spontaneously take shape as I sketched.
The Design
A bold fire engine red high heel breaks through the ice of the canopy over the entrance to the parking garage. The word “The” appears to be breaking apart like the ice of the lake. Underneath the high heel is a doorway that is a perfect place for a photo opportunity. A lightning bolt strikes through the letter Q which is inspired by the City of Buffalo flag. The letter U is inspired by stained glass windows seen in Buffalo homes. The Lake Queen’s tears fall into the letter “U” which represents the bulbs the Queen has frozen for the winter. The bulbs push up through the letter “U” and are just about to emerge through the frozen ground. The Lake Queen’s colorful heart-shaped face emerges from the letters “EE.” With reflections of her spring bulbs in her eyes, she keeps looking towards her crown. She whistles her whirling winds that create a giant wave of energy that carries her crown into the winter sun. Waves crash around the letters “N” and “C.” Her disco distraction keeps you from seeing her crown completely which is in the letter “I” in CITY.
As the disco ends at the letter ‘T’ winter is in full effect and the city is frozen with a giant colorful icicle hanging from the letter “Y.” The mural design is inspired by the contrasting elements of winter, especially the silhouette of trees with white snow on the branches. I am inspired by the up close colors of snowflakes. I’ve taken advantage of the spacing of the floors of the parking garage and created a design that feels complete without the missing parts of the walls. Because the Queen hides in plain sight I wanted to create a design where the words “THE QUEEN CITY” can be seen but seem to be hiding in the imagery that is telling the story of the “LAKE QUEEN AND HER WINTER DISCO.“
Milbrand has completed a number of murals across the city, most notably The Greetings from Buffalo Mural on Ellicott Street which was completed in 2017 (below).
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