Courtesy photo A wide view showing the length of "Beyond Walls" artist Felipe Ortiz's recently completed mural, "Great Blue Heron," the most recent project in a partnership between Ortiz and the city aimed at improving the aesthetics of the downtown area, a component of the the city's Riverfront Master Plan. (Courtesy photo)

NASHUA — Visitors from near and far who decide to take a stroll along the city’s rapidly-improving stretch of downtown riverfront hoping to catch a glimpse of colorful, majestic waterfowl won’t be disappointed.

Even if they miss out on seeing, say, a great blue heron take flight over the Nashua River, a sight just about as impressive is a sure bet: Beyond Walls artist Felipe Ortiz’s lifelike depiction of the birds will always be there for the viewing.

And the newest addition to the area behind Nashua’s historic Millyard clock tower is impossible to miss, covering a “canvas” some 120 feet long and 12 feet high.

A Colombian-born artist whose work has been featured in exhibits nationwide and across his native land, Ortiz, who is associated with the Lynn, Massachusetts-based Beyond Walls, a nonprofit that “uses a creative lens to address community needs,” has just put the finishing touches on the mural, which will stand as a key component of the Riverfront Master Plan as the initiative moves into 2022.

“This mural is the first of what we hope will be many public art pieces installed along our scenic

Courtesy photo "Beyond Walls" artist Felipe Ortiz has just completed this large mural, "Great Blue Heron," near the Millyard's historic clock tower, the most recent project in a partnership between Ortiz and the city aimed at improving the aesthetics of the downtown area, a component of the the city's Riverfront Master Plan. (Courtesy photo)

Riverfront,” said Amy DeRoche, program coordinator for the city’s Economic Development

Department. “The blue herons featured in the mural truly capture the feeling of walking along the river.”

Mayor Jim Donchess, who in 2016 kicked off the Riverfront Master Plan by assembling a team of representatives of city municipal agencies, said he and the team are “excited to partner with Felipe Ortiz on this aspect” of the master plan.

Noting that “public art contributes greatly to the vibrancy of our downtown and our community as a whole,” Donchess said Ortiz “is an incredibly talented artist” whose mural “captures the beauty of Nashua’s Riverfront.”

Donchess and members of the Office of Economic Development began the partnership with Beyond Walls in 2019, and have since collaborated on numerous public art projects and “place-making initiatives” in the downtown area.

With the arrival of the pandemic, the team focused on the design and installation of “attractive and welcoming outdoor seating and gathering places that helped restaurants and other businesses safely serve customers during the pandemic.”

According to city officials, the master plan includes a 1.8-mile section of the Nashua River, beginning at Mine Falls Park, running upstream

through the Millyard and downtown, and ending at the Bridge Street bridge.

Within this stretch of river, the plan breaks the riverfront into four sections from west to east – the Millyard; the Greeley House and Cotton

Mill; Jackson Falls; and Amory and Bridge streets.

Al Wilson, the founder and CEO of Beyond Walls, said the organization is grateful to be working alongside the city in its initiative.

“We appreciate the opportunity to build on our collaboration with Mayor Donchess, Nashua’s Office of

Economic Development, and the broader Nashua community,” Wilson said. “This project reflects Beyond Walls’ mission of making art accessible to the broadest possible audience while galvanizing support for the businesses that make downtown districts dynamic and welcoming.”

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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