New in the Makerspace: Interactive Mural
Have you checked out the newest interactive art in the Museum & Theatre? Head to the Makerspace to see the Squirrel’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, designed and created by our very own Charlie Emma Hindall!
A close-up of the mural in the makerspace.
A close-up of the windows is featured in the mural.
The mural was designed in coordination with Hancock Lumber as part of their generous sponsorship of the WoodWorks area of the makerspace. The piece showcases the many types of wood byproducts that are produced when milling pine boards at Hancock Lumber and are used by humans, reminding visitors of the numerous roles trees and wood play in daily life. Fun fact: 100% of the wood fiber is utilized when milling eastern white pine logs into boards! Look closely to recognize the bark and wood chips adding details to the mural, and maybe even the sawdust mixed into the paint to add texture!
The mural features a tall silhouette of a white pine tree painted forest green, with a squirrel and several black-capped chickadees around it. The trunk consists of 3 windows with shutters made out of tree cookies. Close to the ground, these windows are easy to view and accessible for small children. Each window opens to reveal recognizable artwork of each floor of the museum, filled with enthusiastic squirrels enjoying the Climber, Makerspace, and Go with the Flow exhibits. Charlie said she enjoyed working on the mural and partnering with Hancock Lumber, “They had some specific requirements and left it open-ended otherwise - a dream for an artist!” The squirrel characters pay homage to the Squirrel King free-with-admission theatre program. This staff favorite graced the stage of Maddy’s Theatre in Spring 2022.
Many staff members helped and consulted on the project, including Connor, Zach, and Darius. We are lucky to have brilliant, creative, and talented team members!
As part of their WoodWorks sponsorship, Hancock Lumber supported the wooden sign above the area and the red lumber holders next to the workbenches. They also donated a generous supply of grown and made-in-Maine pine hobby wood that visitors can use for tinkering and building. Here visitors can safely learn to try out hand and power tools, including saws, hammers, nails, and drills, while they build and create with wood and witness the many reasons wood is essential in our daily lives. Thank you to Hancock Lumber for their generous sponsorship and for making the WoodWorks area possible!
