Dream Home

On a fence in Salem Massachusetts is a series of paintings by a group of artists who used the book “A Dream Called Home” as inspiration. The book is a memoir by Mexican-American author Reyna Grande and in it tells of her dreams of a stable home and how she makes it happen. Last year several artists participated in the project, including six local artists from the neighborhood. These are the murals on that fence.

title panel in a series of paintings along a fence on Peabody Street in Salem Massachusetts

Punto Urban Art Museum is the organization behind this project.  It was founded by North Shore Community Development Coalition (North Shore CDC) in Salem’s historic El Punto neighbourhood.  This fence is but one of their many projects.

below: “Teenage Mutant Ninja Tortugas” by Kearin Alexander Frias is on the left.

murals on a fence in Salem's El Punto neighbourhood, Dream of Home theme

below: Anatomically correct heart in blue hands, a painting by Llemonmoss. 

mural, mutant teenage ninja turtle, using dominican turtles instead

below: Left – “Home Cooked Meals Feed the Soul” by Nick Pinciaro and on the right – “Vessel” by Amanda Beard Garcia.

two cooking theme murals on a fence in salem, on the right is person holding a rice cooker

below: Left – “My Father’s Keeper” by Emily Kwong and on the right – “Nou La” by Rachel Domond

two murals on a fence, a small tree is in front of the one on the left which is a man's face

below:  There is text in the background that is difficult to see in this photo but it is a blend of two quotes from the book:
 “You are now bilingual, bicultural, and binational. You are not less. You are more, twice the girl you used to be.” Painted by Yixuan Zeng

portrait of a woman, street art on a fence

below: “Last Night Precipice” by Margarita Krylova

portrait of four women standing together, street art on a fence

below: “Detachment” by T.J. Gansenberg

a grey person sitting on the ground, mural

below: Left – ” A Tiny Home, A Perfect Fit” by ERA and on the right – “Coffee” by Alba Ward

mural on a fence, on the right is a dunkin donuts coffee cup in front of an american flag

below: Left – “Seek Peace and Pursue it” by Alexa Wilson, and on the right – “Growth” by Joshua Beckett

below: “Raiz Enmascarada” by Jean Cardona

mural, striped mask

below: “Parque Infantil” by Altagracia

mural, park, with children

below: Left – “Nesting” by Jacob Ginga and on the right – “Growth” by Vicky Ortega

two murals on a fence in salem, on left, a gold and orange bird

below: “Eternamente Bienvenida” by Katherine Castillo

mural

below: “Trabajando Por Un Sueño Mejor” by Ramon Santiago

black cut outs in turtle shapes on a black metal fence

below: “Coming Together” by Tatianna Rivas and Armani Lewis.

mural on a fence, a couple hugging

Photos taken July 2024