'Beauty Makes The Difference': Acclaimed Muralist Comes To RI

PROVIDENCE, RI — In his more than two decades as a muralist, Alex Cook has created upwards of 110 pieces of large-scale public art, becoming part of the cityscape in cities from New York to Georgia to Washington state. Often drawing inspiration from the root and symbol of life that are trees, Cook brings otherwise ordinary city walls to life.

The Boston-based artist's latest project is right here in Rhode Island. Over the course of a week, he transformed an outer wall at DelSesto Middle School into a work of art. As with many of his previous murals, the work centers on a theme of a tree, which he is spiritually connected to.

"I think of it as the tree of life," Cook said. "My first-ever mural was a tree and it's like I'm trying to re-explore that idea as my work goes on."

Unlike his previous trees, this one utilizes a dark, cool color palette of deep blues and purples that capture twilight without feeling foreboding. He said he chose these colors because they are strong, "hefty," especially for the tree's trunk, which is a deep indigo.

When creating his murals, Cook said he prefers to simply look at the blank wall and let inspiration take over, rarely sketching out the design beforehand. For his Providence mural, he knew he wanted to use the tree as the central theme and worked to incorporate other ideas from DelSesto's students and staff.

"They really wanted to include their school mascot, the jaguar, and showcase the diversity of the student body," Cook said.

The final product features five children exploring the tree. The first student sits by herself at the top of the tree deep in thought, while another approaches a jaguar on a lower branch, perhaps tentative but eager to continue on. On the far side of the mural, two students are out on a limb—both literally and figuratively—exploring, heading away from the safety of the center of the tree. The final girl is clearly in motion. She is running, headed toward the center of the tree.

"I don't know where exactly she's going," Cook said. "What's important is that she's headed towards something."

One of the best parts of this project was getting to work with and hear from students and staff members, Cook said. Besides offering their thoughts on the mural's design, several students helped him prime the wall for painting, allowing them to be a part of the creative process.

"The wall was really textured and bumpy, I was very grateful for their help!" Cook said with a laugh.

Perhaps the most important feedback Cook received was after the mural was complete. There's no greater feeling, he said, than hearing people gasp excitedly when they see his work — and playing a part in creating a space people can take pride in.

"Beauty makes the difference," Cook said. "It shows that the place where you spend your time is cared for. This isn't just for the school, it's in a very public area. It's for the whole city to enjoy."

DelSesto Middle School is Cook's first Rhode Island mural. His work has been featured on walls across the country, from his home base of Boston to Athens, Georgia and other cities all over the map. Over the next few months, he will be headed to several cities, hosting an event in an Orange County, California community health center before heading home to Boston to work on several projects in July. You can see more of his work on his website or learn more about his You Are Loved mural project here.