Margaret McCandless is the artist and creator behind the new Charnock Tunnel mural. Completed early October 2021, with the help of 12 volunteers, here she is with her inspiration.
Margaret McCandless is the lead painter and designer on this project. Margaret has been painting theater scenery, and teaching teens to paint with her, since 2003. Her theater painting work included four fully-staged productions each school year at Bancroft School, Worcester, from 2003 to 2015. Her public murals include “I Met a Dragon” at TidePool Bookshop, 372 Chandler Street, Worcester, MA, done in 2020; and “Leaves-with-Scenery” at Tully Lake Campground, Trustees of Reservations, Royalston, MA, done in 2015. Digital samples of Margaret’s work are available from Margaret McCandless.
The mural was originally conceived as a way to illustrate some of the plants and animals that live in the neighborhood of the tunnel. Additionally, by having plenty of blue sky and a reflecting pond in the middle of the mural, the middle of the tunnel with have light-reflecting surfaces of pale colors. This will brighten the tunnel.
The idea of painting a mural at all – it’s the natural response of people who enjoy painting murals. Look, a blank wall! Maybe we can get permission, materials, time, and volunteers, and put a mural here! In this case, it was Margaret McCandless who spoke these thoughts to Colleen Abrams. Colleen, Christy Barnes, and Margaret have been moving the idea along.
Special thanks to the Holden, Paxton, Rutland and Massachusetts Cultural Councils for their support of this project.