Perth Amboy has a beautiful new Oyster catch basin mural for Earth Day painted by artist Nina Iglesias. The blue oyster mural is located on the corner of Smith and Front St on the waterfront across from the Ferry Slip. The mural was commissioned by Perth Amboy Artworks with a donation from Heidi Burke, who came up with the idea for an oyster mural. Nina Iglesias said “Thank you Perth Amboy Artworks for entrusting me with this piece and adding to the beautification of this city I love that’s been a a huge part of my life, for half my life.”
Oysters are small, but they have a big impact on the environment
Heidi Burke, who is also a member of the Perth Amboy Arts Council, said she wanted an Oyster mural to help point out how important oysters are to cleaning our water here in Raritan Bay. Though oysters are small, they have a big impact on the environment. Oysters act as filters, cleaning the water. New Jersey Conservation Foundation has reported on the power of oysters to clean up Raritan Bay “one adult oyster can clean 50 gallons of contaminated water a day. Called the Oyster Restoration Project, millions of oysters have been added to Raritan Bay to improve water quality and to help with coastal resiliency.” Time lapse videos show the power of oysters to clean water.
Why a Catch Basin Mural?
A Catch Basin Mural is used to remind people to keep catch basins clean. If you can’t see the mural, the catch basin is dirty! The catch basin is that drain on the curb of your street. A clogged catch basin can cause local flooding during heavy rain which climate change has made happen more often. By sweeping leaves and keeping garbage out of the catch basin, you will help to prevent local flooding and are also helping to keep our water clean. Plastic water bottles enter through catch basins and go out to pollute the ocean.
Earth Day is April 22
For Earth Day this year visit the Oyster Catch Basin Mural. Also, you might decide to adopt your own local catch basin and keep it clean. This would greatly help Perth Amboy. Also you could sponsor a catch basin mural. To sponsor a catch basin mural contact Perth Amboy Artworks caroline@perthamboyartworks.org.
Any person, group or business can sponsor a mural in Perth Amboy. To gain approval to do a mural, you must present to the Perth Amboy Arts Council a completed application, which includes the mural location, mural title, materials, artists resume, draft artwork of the piece to be painted and permission from the property owner. The cost of a catch basin mural is $500.
