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Date: 4/6/2021
EASTHAMPTON – Nini’s Ristorante will be commissioning a local artist to design and create a painted floor mural in its new outdoor dining area.
The floor mural will be approximately 16-by-20 feet and must be painted with materials that are appropriate for painting on pavement, according to a Facebook post posted on the Easthampton City Arts page.
Gianni Daniele, the owner of Nini’s, told Reminder Publishing that he reached out to Easthampton City Arts (ECA) because he wanted to add something attractive to the area where they placed a tent for outdoor seating during COVID-19.
“Some people suggested doing that AstroTurf stuff, and I was like, ‘Why don’t we get some artists together and have them paint a mural?’” said Daniele.
Artists can do any theme or design they want, as long as it fits within the size requirements, according to Daniele. “I’m looking for creativity,” he said. “The idea is we’re shooting for a May 1 opening on the tent.”
Artists have until April 10 to apply for consideration, and by April 15, the selected artist will be notified. The mural must be completed by April 24, according to the ECA Facebook post. The selected artist will receive a $500 honorarium on top of a $300 budget for materials. The money will be provided by the restaurant.
“There’s plenty of artists out there that can do something probably more attractive then fake grass from Home Depot,” said Daniele. “Me extending the hand helps those guys survive throughout this whole process, just like the restaurants are.”
Daniele added that the restaurant has been fortunate enough to have an established clientele that has helped them stay afloat. “I might as well do as much as I can to keep Easthampton as great as it is,” he said. “I want to help the artists as much as I can.”
For more information on how artists can apply, visit the Facebook post at https://www.facebook.com/EasthamptonCityArts/posts/4235345636499272.
“People have dined on the sidewalk for years at Nini’s, but this is the first time we’ve really created an outdoor dining place,” said Daniele. “That’s why we wanted to make it attractive with murals and things like that.”