Local artist, Adam Smith, presented a ferry mural project at the Port Orchard City Council meeting Jan. 27. The 290-square-foot mural would be located near the waterfront park downtown.
The proposed mural is a mix of abstract and photorealism artwork styles, which Smith described as the bulk of his work. The mural would feature a ferry boat in the Puget Sound and hints of the shipyard, along with a sunset and a bird in the distance.
Smith shared with the council that his goal is to make the boat look like the Carlisle II, a vessel built in 1917 in Port Orchard and part of the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet. The Carlisle II was purchased by Kitsap Transit in 2003 and refurbished in 2004 before returning to her previous route between Bremerton and Port Orchard. Being one of the oldest continuously licensed and running wooden vessels in the United States, Smith thought it would be a great addition to the history of Port Orchard.
The idea first began when Smith was speaking with a friend about the rise of tourism expected this summer around the Puget Sound due to World Cup games occurring in Seattle. Smith shared that his friend came to him with a concept, an AI image of art he thought would be good for the city, and Smith said he was the right fit to complete it.
“Over the course of my career, I’ve worked across many creative disciplines, including graphic design (such as the SKSD logo, the SK Chamber logo, and others), cartooning, comic art, animation, traditional drawing and painting, branding, website design, and video production. My education and professional training prepared me to draw virtually any subject, in any style, as part of a collaborative creative team,” said Smith. “During high school, I received multiple awards for my artwork, studied fine art at Olympic College under Mel Wallis, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Media Arts & Animation from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and later completed an MBA.”
The local artist and his wife own three local businesses in Port Orchard, one of which is Blue Creations Art, an art school where Smith teaches drawing and painting.
Smith shared with the council that he can complete his proposed mural in about 60 to 80 hours. This includes preparation, the art itself, and sealing it with a top coat designed specifically for protection against vandalism and graffiti.
“The parts of the AI image that would need more clarity would be clarifying the Carlisle, so you know exactly which boat that is. I might also add some other birds,” said Smith. “I would also like to add hints of Bremerton. I will go down to the waterfront and take several shots to work from. Then I would make a mockup that I can present again to the council. But it would be very similar to the mockup because that is what got the conversation rolling.”
The goal is to get the mural done before the World Cup this summer, so tourists can enjoy the art. Smith plans to start working as soon as possible. The estimated timeline for beginning would be around early spring.
Council stated they will prepare a contract in the next few weeks, possibly bringing it to their next meeting for Smith to sign.
