Mystic Aquarium - Marine Debris / Beach Cleanup Equity Program
LOCATION: Beaches along the CT shoreline.
DATE CREATED: 2024
ARTIST: Samson Tonton and Jac Lahav
Marine Debri SEPT 2024 - 2026
In late 2024 PARJE collaborated with the Mystic Aquarium to bring environmental awareness to life through art, with a special focus on marine debris and ocean conservation. As part of this initiative, artists Samson Tonton and Jac Lahav are creating artwork (a large scale turtle painting/sculpture and two life-sized penguins.
The turtle and penguins will be featured in a mobile educational display designed to engage visitors and promote sustainable practices, particularly reducing single-use plastics that harm our oceans and marine wildlife. The project aims to spark conversation and action, encouraging people to think about how their everyday choices affect the environment.
In addition the artists collaborated to create a series of 6 coloring book pages that celebrate sea diversity and educate the public about the dangers of single use plastics on our ecology.
hrough this partnership, we hope to reach a broad audience, from tourists to local residents, and inspire real change in how we treat our planet.
Stay tuned for updates on this project and ways you can get involved in supporting ocean conservation through art!
UPCOMING DATES
September 21, 10:00-1:00 – Bluff Point State Park, Groton, International Coastal Clean Up
September 28, 9:30-11:30 - Pond Lily Nature Preserve, 42 E Ramsdell St, New Haven, International Coastal Cleanup
October 12, 1:00-3:00 – Long Wharf, New Haven, International Coastal Clean Up
October 27, 9:00 – Mystic Aquarium, Penguin Run
GREENVILLE PLAYGROUND 2023
LOCATION: Greenville Playground Norwich
134 Boswell Ave, Norwich CT 06360
DATE CREATED: 2023
ARTIST: Emida Roller, Samson Tonton, Bart Jeczmieny
In partnership with PARJE (Public Art for Racial Justice Education), we are thrilled to launch an impactful community initiative in Norwich, Connecticut, focused on promoting social and environmental justice through public art. The project centers on the design and creation of a mural at Greeneville Playground, as well as storm drain artworks that engage local youth in the creative process.
Throughout June 2023, we conducted community engagement sessions with elementary through high school students. These sessions encouraged young people to express their views on justice and the environment while contributing to the mural design. With the participation of 6 students on June 10th, 8 on June 19th, and 15 on June 29th, the youth helped shape the artistic vision for the playground mural.
We are also excited to announce that additional workshops on June 13th and 14th saw students design art for seven storm drains, adding to the project’s environmental awareness message. The next phase will include painting days in August, when students will help bring their designs to life under the guidance of local artists.
Stay tuned as we continue this journey of creative collaboration, using public art as a means to uplift the voices of Norwich’s youth and promote positive social change in our community.
Social Equity Grant Mural 2024
four local artists started painting a mural on a Norwich Public Utilities building to celebrate the city’s history and its immigrants. Led by art teacher Samson Tonton, the mural is designed to honor Norwich's past as part of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.
The mural shows important parts of Norwich's history, like the old trolleys and mill buildings, local churches, and kids working in textile mills. It also features George Washington, who visited Norwich several times, and includes portraits of local residents and flags from four countries representing the city's immigrant communities.
Tonton wanted the mural to be bright and eye-catching, celebrating both the past and future of Norwich.
This project was made possible through the help of several local groups and a grant from the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut. On Friday, community members are invited to join the artists from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help paint the mural.
Social Equity Grant funded by a grant from The Community Foundation of Eastern CT for a Public Art Mural and Writer's Block Ink projects.
Four local artists started painting a mural on a Norwich Public Utilities building to celebrate the city’s history and its immigrants. Led by art teacher Samson Tonton, the mural is designed to honor Norwich's past as part of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.
The mural shows important parts of Norwich's history, like the old trolleys and mill buildings, local churches, and kids working in textile mills. It also features George Washington, who visited Norwich several times, and includes portraits of local residents and flags from four countries representing the city's immigrant communities.
This project was made possible through the help of several local groups and a grant from the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut.
