We had such a great time hosting the unveiling of artist Raisa Kochmaruk’s mural here at BAPL on July 10. The mural itself will be hung at the City’s Walnut Street parking garage later this year. An excellent interview with Raisa about the project can be heard here. She talked birds and art with LV Arts Salon’s Kate Scuffle on WDIY.
Rather than give typical remarks at the mural unveiling, BAPL director Josh Berk wrote up the story as a fairy tale, which it really kind of us! Call it The City and the Swifts…
“Some of you already know the story of The City and the Swifts but for those of you who don’t, allow me to tell you this real-life fairy tale. Just like a fairy tale, it has a nobleman, a tower, a hero, and magical creatures.
The story begins when a woman saw something strange in the sky. She was not sure what it was, and she was curious to learn more. The woman was a teacher named Jennie Gilrain. And what she saw in the sky was the great migration of the Chimney Swifts. The place they were headed was a tower of sorts, the giant chimney at the site of the Masonic Temple off Route 378.
The Swift’s pour into the chimney entranced Jennie. She was soon dismayed to learn that because the building was slated for demolition, and that the Swifts would lose their home. I can only guess what Jennie did next but she is a force of nature, and no doubt made many calls, wrote many letters, and sent many emails. Her passion for these flying friends even lead her to start a GoFundMe Campaign called “Save Our Swifts.”
And through her efforts, she eventually connected with the new owner of the building.
A man with the improbable name of Mr. Noble.
Mr. Noble had purchased the building and indeed planned to tear it all down to build a new structure. But that was before he met Jennie Gilrain. With the help of her friends from the Audubon Society and her fourth-grade class, Jenny reached out to Mr. Noble and the Bethlehem City Council.
The City Council agreed to make the Chimney Swifts the official bird of Bethlehem, and Mr. Noble, living up to his name, not only saved the tower but also refused to take any of the money raised. He suggested that the Audubon Society use the money to educate our community about these birds. Mr. Noble suggested the idea that a series of murals be painted around town to celebrate the city’s official bird!
By divine intervention, we knew a local artist ( and by local, her mother works down the hall) with a connection to the library, Raisa Kochmaruk, that specialized in painting birds.
Raisa was eager to begin this project, but we didn’t have the studio space. So being the adaptable library that we are, we turned a corner of the Cohen Room into an artist studio for her to work out of, and she created the beautiful murals that you are about to see.
And just like a fairy tale, these birds will live on forever through these murals. Raisa has brought Bethlehem’s Chimney Swifts to life through her paintings, and they will live on to be admired and to inspire. These magical creatures will transform an ordinary parking garage on Walnut Street into a beautiful migration of inspiration.”
