Celebration of Diversity

In 2020, a year defined by challenges and division, the Hopkinton Cultural Council (HCC) initiated the Celebration of Diversity mural project, located on the wooden fence leading to EMC Park. As HCC Chair Ilana Casady has indicated, the purpose of the project is to unite people while also celebrating what makes us different. The local artists are creating a footprint of this moment in our town’s history as we embrace its growing diversity and character.

The HCC typically sponsors new panels each year, usually in the spring or summer. If you are an artist who wishes to contribute, please contact us.

CALL FOR ARTISTS! Your artwork could be on one of this year's panels!

Hopkinton Cultural Council is seeking artists to extend and grow our Celebration of Diversity Mural in Hopkinton. We are adding 3 to 5 new segments this year. We are looking to create a footprint of this moment in our town’s history as we embrace its growing diversity and character. All ideas and artistic interpretations of diversity are welcome for submission. Open to working with single or multiple artists. The mural is located on the wooden fence leading from Rt 85 into EMC Park. The segments are each 8 foot wide x 7 foot tall. All media used must be long-lived and weather resistant.

For questions, call Ilana Casady at 617-461-9659 or email icasady@hotmail.com

Please send sample images and Artist Statement: culturalchair@hopkintonma.gov

Entry deadline: April 25, 2025.

Jury decision deadline: May 31, 2025.

Installation deadline: August 31, 2025.

Two of A Kind

By Charusmitha Ram, Tejaswini Dalvi and Sushma Tammareddi from South Asian Circle of Hopkinton, Nov 2020

This South Asian mural is a tribute to immigrants. An immigrant’s experience stems from a dual identity that leads them through their life. The cultural setting that one is born into runs through their DNA and reshapes as part of a newly acquired identity. This duality is a core aspect of their evolved identities and the subcultures they create in a new place they call Home.

Lucky Envelope

By Solar Yanchen Lu, Kayleen Tang, Sophie Buer and Grace Liu from Hopkinton Chinese American Association, Nov 2020

We hope to share Chinese culture with the community through our mural. The old lady is passing down Chinese tradition and identity to the new generation as she is handing the red packet, a symbol of good luck, to the little girl during Lunar New Year. The Chinese ink landscape background is featured with a dragon, an important aspect of Chinese culture. The parts of intentionally unpainted fence are merged into the story using a drip gradient effect.

We All Start Somewhere

By Cindy Yang from Hopkinton High School Diversity Club, Nov 2020

Hopkinton is well known as the starting point for the annual Boston Marathon. Every year athletes across the world with very diverse background and culture come to Hopkinton to start the race. The cheering crowds for Boston Marathon as well as the residents of Hopkinton are from diverse background too, but cherish "diversity and inclusion" spirit this mural project is promoting.

Hopkinton is Multi-Colored

By Rick Jacobs, Aug 2021

Starting with just three colors we were able to create a potentially infinite diversity of colors for “Hopkinton is Multi-Colored.” What better way to symbolize the diversity of a community than the artist’s palette. Charusmitha’s son was assisting her as she was painting “Love is Love” beside me. He understood this symbolism and honored my effort by choosing a spot on the palette to add eyes and a mouth. Others have done the same. You are welcome too, provided that the face is confined to only one paint spot on the palette.

Ready to Fly Wings

By Roselyn Jeun, Aug 2021

The different feathers represent uniqueness and diversity. It is a fun and inspiring design. A selfie photo is a must of course!

I hope my art, being interactive pieces, would draw people closer to the fencing so they can walk along and appreciate all the murals. The playful design also connects with families visiting the playground. It would encourage selfie photos and bring attention to Hopkinton and what our town has to offer in celebrating our individuality / diversity.

Perpetual Kindness

By Owen Fitzpatrick, Aug 2021

I created the image of a hand moving through a wall extending flowers to the viewer to symbolize both acceptance and inclusion. These two fundamental principles form the basis of any conversation about diversity, equality, and individuals with differing abilities. I chose the color blue because it represents the ocean and the sky, which unite us all. I painted the hand with the intent of it being genderless.

There are many flowers that are associated with peace, like the lotus, but I chose the simple daisy for its symbolic innocence and purity. This fence at EMC Park lines the way to a playground, so I wanted to highlight the innocence and purity of children who play there. In many cultures, daisies symbolize childbirth, motherhood and new beginnings. The tradition or act of giving flowers extends across cultural lines. From the ancient Greeks who inspired our marathon to our modern era, it is universally a symbol of love, friendship and kindness.

Love is Love

By Charusmitha Ram and Freya Proudman of the Hopkinton Freedom Team, Aug 2021

At the core of ‘Love is Love’ is the message of equality and intersectionality of the LGBTQIA+ community. This universal idea of equality and acceptance is at the core of the heart that carries the message of love. The heart is surrounded by people of the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies coming together as one, to paint the colors of the sub-community they represent or support. Love comes in many colors, shapes and forms, but no matter who you love, ‘Love is Love’.

Generations "Pometuongash"

By Talitha Fortes from Massachuset Nation NPI, Aug 2021

Sponsored By: Hopkinton Center for the Arts

Everyone lives through their ancestors and they light the path for our future generations.

They are all in us and they take the journey through us and bring us into the celebration of life.

All tribes and people are diverse and different but they all share the belief in the ancestors.

Everyone is the same under the white sky.

From the ancestors, through the journey to the celebration of the diversity of all tribes and people under the white skey which remains the same...the true was, is and will be.

Hopkinton, Home

By Olivia Stacey, 2021

Hopkinton is a community composed of diverse people with diverse backgrounds. Our commonality is built upon stories of acceptance, neighborliness, and hope from around the world. Every spring, we welcome the world to our hills to watch and support thousands of brave and inspiring trailblazers as they prove to themselves and their own communities that challenges can be overcome when we work hard and when we work together. For one day a year, those from areas as close as our neighboring towns and as far as other continents come to our hometown, and regardless of all differences, show the might of human strength and grit. While marathon day comes and goes quickly, the community of Hopkinton continues to provide the same space of acceptance that it offers to the world to all new and existing Hillers. This mural is a reflection of Hopkinton’s willingness and eagerness to provide a welcoming and supportive community regardless of who you are, where you’re from, or who you’ve been. Hopkinton has a home for you.

An Ofrenda

By Kayleen Tang, Aug 2022

This is a colorful depiction of an Ofrenda from the famous Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead. The Day of the Dead is a holiday that celebrates and commemorates the dead with festivals, bright colors, light, and food. It is a cheerful and colorful holiday, and it honors the dead in a way that no other culture does. I believe sharing this different culture and perspective is essential for forming a more open-minded and inclusive community.

Vision of Diversity

By Rick Jacobs assisted by Jahnavi Prudhivi, Aug 2022

A year ago I completed the “Hopkinton is Multicolored” mural on the Diversity Wall. On the last day working on the mural a little boy walked up to me and asked if he could draw something with me. I agreed, so he drew a small pair of eyes on one of the circles of paint on the hyper-sized pallet that is the centerpiece of that mural. After he left, I followed suit and painted several dozen pairs of small eyes associated with different colors that can only be seen by coming close.

This year, the “Vision of Diversity” mural emphasizes the role that vision plays in the appreciation of cultural differences on many levels. From the mural observer’s point of view, the eyes painted on the wall might represent surrogates for the different ethnic groups so clustered together in the mural. From the reverse perspective, the eyes might be assessing the observer to determine the innate level of inclusivity or bias. Lastly, the word “vision” in the title of this work, is more than “sight”. In this context, it is the ability to think about and plan the future of diversity with imagination and wisdom.

Karmic Interconnect

Artists: Neya Rajasingh and Kathy Rajasingh

Collaborators: Charusmitha Ram, Sai Gudempati, Sreya Ravi

Sep 2022

Within the fusion of the divine masculine and feminine forms emerge a beautiful representation of a spectrum that makes us all human. The interconnection of these symbolic forms serve as representations of peace, faith, equality, love, and energy.

The central grounding figures are evocative of Shiva and Parvathi, two Hindu gods when drawn together are known as Ardhanarishvara, or the divine being that is half male and half female. Gender identity and equality are explored and celebrated while also tying in aspects of Hinduism that focus on the concepts of Karma, or the actions of people that are attuned to their spiritual and cosmic existences.

The depiction of the moon phases signify the cycle of time and the fluidity of life, the process of constant change and evolution from origin to end.

We've Got Your Back

By Owen Fitzpatrick, Aug 2022

One hundred and eighty-six single handprints united saying, “We support you.”

One hundred and eighty-six people saying, “You are not alone.”

As a community, all of us together promising, “You are NEVER alone.”

I have been deeply troubled by the racist and homophobic transgressions in our schools and in our world. Further, I cannot begin to imagine the soul-grinding sadness and loneliness that drives people to take their own lives. Mikayla, Mason, John, and Brad: our community has lost too many kids to suicide. One is too many.

Together, as a community, I believe we created a loud statement of support on this simple piece of fence. When people drive by, I hope this piece will make them feel less alone. I hope the participants will be reminded that they took an active stand against hate.

I want to thank each and every person who participated in “We’ve Got Your Back.”

One hundred and eighty six people saying, “Our differences make us great.”

Bouzouki

By Jill Strait, Aug 2023

This design features a Greek instrument called Bouzouki, which is a member of the mandolin/lute family. It has 8 strings and is usually intricately ornamental. The symmetry represents harmony, while the neck design and swirls create movement. Music and art are a common language that bring people together, and my work focuses on musical instruments, patterns and nature.

Here We Thrive!

By Emily Jiang, Aug 2023

I aimed to craft an art piece that captures the innate beauty of our town and celebrates the potential for every child, regardless of their background or identity, to flourish and embrace their true selves. I believe that art displayed in public spaces not only brings joy but also connects people from diverse backgrounds.

Different Minds, One World!

By Karen Tang & Kayleen Tang, Aug 2023

The design is to raise awareness for Autism and to promote neurodiversity. It features three giraffes, two of which have brown spots, symbolizing a neurotypical person, and a smaller giraffe that has rainbow spots, symbolizing their neurodiversity. Behind the giraffes is the rainbow infinity sign of Autism and neurodiversity. Both the bright blue background and butterflies are also key symbols of Autism.

Growing up with a family member on the Autism Spectrum, we have recognized how crucial familial support is for people with Autism. We have learned that love and care, as well as accepting for those who are on the spectrum is important.

Through this mural, we wanted to convey how Autism is not a disability, instead, it is simply a difference and one that can bring joy to others and value to the world.

Not Alone But Together

By Roselyn Jeun, Aug 2023

In this piece, I combined my appreciation of ocean life and inspirational words from a childhood icon of mine who is linked to my current profession as an optometrist. I've always liked the idea of interactive art so I submitted my original drawing without the child silhouette. The empty space was to encourage someone to stand there and pose for a photo. However, once the mural was on the fence, I found the empty space to be too empty! So I added the child and the big red heart to invoke kindness and love. Don't hesitate to come stand in front of the painted child and have your photo taken! Share it and spread this positive message!

We are similar to the ocean animals, being all different sizes, shapes and colours. As they share the same waters, we share the same community. The timeless quote from Helen Keller, "Alone we can do so little, Together we can do so much" aligns with the theme of cultural diversity. We come from different backgrounds and experiences. Some find themselves in the minority or may feel alone. But don't despair because no matter who we are, when we gather together toward a common goal, we can contribute our unique talents for the good of our community. Think about all we can accomplish when we are united!

I hope that my mural brings smiles, inspires positivity and leads to constructive discussions about our community.

Rise To Great Heights

By Chelsea Bradway, Aug 2023

Chelsea Bradway is a Special Education Preschool teacher at Marathon Elementary School and an artist. Although her typical medium is photography, she was drawn to the idea of a mural painted by children with Special Needs. Chelsea was excited to share this idea with the students of Hopkinton. When she put the call out to the people of Hopkinton, they showed up from Preschool to age 22 to throw paint, dance paint, or however they wished to make their mark. They together created a firework display of colors and swirls.

The quote on the mural was written in the handwriting of a Hopkinton High School student, Jack Malone which made the mural have even more of an impact. The mural would not have been completed if it were not for Jen Halliday, the SEPAC President who enlarged Jack’s handwriting so it could be written on the wall. She spent time in the dark to put the finishing pieces on this mural. It truly takes a village.

Phoenix Wings

By Chelsea Bradway, August 2024

Chelsea Bradway is a Special Education Preschool teacher at Marathon Elementary School and an artist. She was so happy with how the previous mural turned out with the children that she wanted to do it again with the educators of Marathon Elementary School. Together, they created Phoenix wings that anyone can stand in front of and feel like they can do anything! Like Phoenix, educators consistently rise to the occasion, and now all people can rise as well.

Clothesline

By Jill Strait, August 2024

Inspired by children’s book illustrations, I painted this design with the intention of creating a joyful and fun piece for the Diversity Mural. Most everything in the painting is covered with patterns, the trees, the birds and the clothing. They are all loose interpretations of fabric designs from different cultures. I especially loved that the fence has trees behind it, casting a shadow from real leaves and branches.

Duality

By Evan Fitzpatrick & Owen Fitzpatrick, August 2024

"Duality” is a statement on equality and inclusion: sexual orientation, gender, and race. Of any and all differences, depending on how the viewer sees it. Some viewers may see just one social commentary. Some may see them all. We seek to represent balance, yet discord, in our use of layered color. The viewer will need to look within themselves to determine what they see.

As humans we are so multifaceted and grounded in opposites, yet similar at our core. We believe the contrast of colors and movement represented in the face create a unique harmony and statement about diversity and human connection. Duality lives in all of us.

We were inspired by our art classes in Hopkinton where we created self portraits that used half photographs and half student drawings. Shoutout to our Hopkinton Art teachers. We are grateful for this opportunity to give back to Hopkinton and uplift this community who helped raise us. Thank you.

Mandala

By Parth Tare & Kanchan Tare, August 2024

The Most Beautiful Flower in your Eye

By Kayleen Tang, August 2024

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