Creative Courts - New Bedford Art Museum/ArtWorks!

This summer New Bedford Art Museum/ArtWorks!, artist Maria Molteni, and partners are launching Creative Courts, a transformative art mural-style court project. The colorful mural-style courts will serve as beacons for community engagement, as they are public spaces that meet more than just one need.

About the artist

Maria Molteni is a Nashville-to-Boston-based multimedia & performing artist, educator & organizer. Having studied Painting and Printmaking at Boston University, her practice sprung from formalist roots and has grown to incorporate research, social engagement, and transdisciplinary experimentation.

Courting the Sky at Clasky Common Park, New Bedford

NBAM/AW! and partners are proud to introduce Courting the Sky. This massive mural was created by Maria Molteni and New Craft Artists in Action and designed with neighborhood youth as well as kids from our artMobile program. The title was inspired by the wonderful Standard-Times article by Linda Roy who described the court so magically and accurately.

The artists were inspired by the rich but also dark history of whaling in New Bedford. Maria spoke with neighbors about how basketball courts are as large as some whales, so large you could see them from an airplane or satellite in the sky. The artists taught young ones who are learning to write about the Nautical Flag messaging systems that ships used to communicate from great distances. There is one flag for each letter of the alphabet, in fact, so neighborhood youth helped the painting crew come up with secret messages to imbed into the court. Maria’s prompt asked, “What might whales, so deep in the ocean, want to tell people/creatures way up in the sky?” Answers included “What’s up? What’s down?” kidspeak for the iconic phrase “As Above, So Below,” which is now embedded in the court. Another message from Herman Melville was tweaked and painted on the court, “Consider them both the sea and the land” (changed “land” to “sky”).

Courting the Sky by Maria Molteni and New Craft Artists in Action

Image: John Maciel

Courting the Sky by Maria Molteni and New Craft Artists in Action

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Courting the Sky by Maria Molteni and New Craft Artists in Action

Image: John Maciel
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Courting the Sky by Maria Molteni and New Craft Artists in Action

Image: John Maciel
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Courting the Sky by Maria Molteni and New Craft Artists in Action

Image: John Maciel
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Courting the Sky by Maria Molteni and New Craft Artists in Action

Image: John Maciel
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Courting the Sky by Maria Molteni and New Craft Artists in Action

Image: John Maciel
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Courting the Sky by Maria Molteni and New Craft Artists in Action

Image: John Maciel

COSMIC COURT at Edmond P Talbot Middle School, Fall River

New Bedford Art Museum/ArtWorks!, artist Maria Molteni, and New Craft Artists in Action have done it again! Edmond P. Talbot Middle School in Fall River, MA celebrated the second basketball court mural commissioned by the New Bedford Art Museum/ArtWorks!, Super Flat NB, City of Fall River, and the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts.

Special Thank You
Brian Raposo
Jacqueline Francisco
Kathy Castro
City of Fall River
SuperFlat NB

New Craft Artists in Action Painters
Isabel Mattia
Laura Ganci
Eli Brown
John Knudsen
Holly Popielarz
Nazli Dinçel

Aerial photos by the fantastic and very generous John Maciel.

join the team!

Creative Courts is made possible through the support of our generous partners and sponsors. Get off the bench and join the game by sponsoring this amazing project.