PaintCare has teamed up with the Albany Parking Authority to create a new community mural on the Quackenbush Garage. Designed to raise awareness about the value of recycling leftover paint, the mural project will bring together local organizations and the local art community to serve as a reminder of paint stewardship and creative collaboration. Local Capital Region artist, Quill Harrison has been selected to design and paint the mural, which will be unveiled later this summer.
“PaintCare recently surpassed its 2-million-gallon collection goal thanks to the joint efforts of our organization and our incredible community partners—including many paint retailers and hardware stores across the Capital Region who’ve generously volunteered their space as drop-off sites,” said Andrew Radin, New York Program Manager, PaintCare. “We’re thrilled to see this kind of progress for the program and growing advocacy for paint recycling. We’re proud to join forces with the Albany Parking Authority, and Quill, to show just how valuable leftover paint can be.”
Centrally located at the heart of Downtown Albany, the Quackenbush Garage is conveniently situated for residents and guests to visit local restaurants and businesses throughout the downtown area. The garage, and the neighboring Quackenbush Square, are the hub for the Albany Parking Authority’s public art collection, which features dozens of art installations, commissioned from local, national and international artists. PaintCare’s new mural will be painted on the Montgomery St. entrance wall.
Notably, a portion of the paint will include leftover paint from PaintCare’s recycling and collection efforts.
“This latest mural at Quackenbush is another example of our continued commitment to serving the City of Albany while supporting local artists and community partners in the process,” said Sean Palladino, Executive Director, Albany Parking Authority. “Downtown Albany is home to incredible restaurants and attractions that draw people to our garages and enhancing those spaces with vibrant artwork only helps to further bring the community together. We are thrilled to work with PaintCare and Quill Harrison on this transformative project.”
Quill, a freelance illustrator and muralist, working closely with the Albany Center Gallery, will bring this mural to life. Over the past four years, Quill has created murals in Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Glens Falls, and more. Quill adds, “Design-wise, my artwork often contains themes of community and the ways humans connect and communicate with one another.”
“Murals have long been a staple of the Capital Region’s vibrant art scene and a powerful way for creatives to tell a story and inspire the community. We are excited for Quill to create another piece for the growing community and add more art everywhere, together,” said Tony Iadicicco, Executive Director of Albany Center Gallery.
To highlight the artist’s progress and showcase the phases of the mural’s development, PaintCare is launching a dedicated webpage: www.paintcare.org/mural. PaintCare and the Albany Parking Authority plan to host a community event later this summer to celebrate the final artwork.
About Albany Parking Authority
The Albany Parking Authority is responsible for managing parking in The City of Albany, NY, including on-street meters and several garages and surface lots centrally located near Albany’s greatest attractions like the MVP Arena, the Palace Theatre, and the Egg. For nine years, the Albany Parking Authority has partnered with multiple community organizations and over 30 artists to grow their public art collection with the focus on improving walkability and economic development within New Yorks Capital City.
About PaintCare
PaintCare is committed to making it easy and convenient for households, businesses, and institutions to recycle postconsumer (leftover) paint in states with paint stewardship laws. A nonprofit organization created by paint companies, PaintCare sets up drop-off locations for leftover paint, arranges for recycling and proper disposal, and conducts public education. More than 77 million gallons of paint, stain, and varnish have been managed by PaintCare in 10 states and the District of Columbia.