"I imagined a colorful snapshot of some of the animals in the park," he said.
When Ray Arcadio would pass through James J. Braddock Park in North Bergen, he often noticed empty walls but saw blank canvases. One particular building caught his attention with its dark monolithic green color.
After looking at the very dark wall for some time, Arcadio pictured something much more beautiful in its place. This would plant the seed for what would become North Bergen’s first mural.
“I imagined a colorful snapshot of some of the animals in the park,” Arcadio said. “I created a few sketches and presented it to Mr. Anthony Vainieri, one of the freeholders. After going back and forth a few times the final design was agreed upon.”
Arcadio worked for five days on the mural but said weather delays and machine scheduling made it feel like “a few weeks.”
“The inspiration came from the nature and wildlife in the park along with some of the mythical sci-fi stories associated with the park,” said Arcadio. “I also took some artistic liberties to add surreal and fun elements that are not so obvious.”
Arcadio has exhibited work all around the United States and appeared in various newspapers, magazines, and television shows. He’s one of the founding members of Artfux, which spearheaded the elimination of tobacco billboards near schools.
Arcadio, 50, grew up in the Jersey City Heights and has lived in North Bergen for the last 15 years. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from NJCU in 1991. The mural, which is located in Braddock Park’s southwest corner next to a children’s playground, will be unveiled by the end of the month.
“I had such a blast painting it,” said Arcadio. “The people who passed by were very receptive, asking questions, taking pictures, and complimenting the work. But the children were the best.
“They would compliment and ask me questions and point out the different animals they spotted,” he added. “It was awesome.”