Williamsville is home to a new mural, the first in a series promoting identity and history across Erie County.
Local artist James “Yames” Moffitt and his assistants took three weeks to finish the mural. It’s not just the mural’s visual impact that’s important, but also the nostalgia that residents feel and the stories they share as a result, Moffitt said.
“It's moments like these where our oral history, the community thrives, and connections are made between the art and the community," he said. "This mural and the others that are to follow will serve as a testament for our great community in years to come.”
Moffitt’s mural includes a number of geometric shapes painted in orange, red, green and blue, with individual snapshots of the village, such as a Ferris wheel reminiscent of Glen Falls' former amusement park, freshly picked apples and the iconic water mill.
Visit Buffalo hopes to have at least 11 murals in communities across the county by the project’s completion, with the next feature likely starting in spring, CEO Patrick Kaler said.
“And James works with each of those communities," Kaler said. "We put out a call to the communities ... to say, 'what would you like to see on this community mural?' And then Yames goes through all of those submissions, and I believe we had over 60 different ideas.”
The Williamsville mural is located at 5484 Main Street, adjacent to Saints Peter and Paul Church.
