Area Artists to 'Uncover' Church Avenue

Church Avenue will soon be a little brighter as five murals are set to be painted on storefront gates beginning to liven up the stretch.

The murals, which will start popping up in April, are a project of the Church Avenue Business Improvement District, called “Uncover Church Avenue.”

They will be painted on storefront gates that are often rolled down during the day between Argyle Rd. and Coney Island Ave—a busy part of the stretch that has a large number of vacant or often-closed shops.

“Generally it seemed a bit unfriendly to walk down the street there. We wanted to liven up the area,” said Melissa Skolnick, a program coordinator, at the Church Avenue BID. 

In October, the BID solicited entries and received over 50 submissions. A brochure of the entries was distributed and the designs themselves were displayed at the Flatbush Library. In December and January residents could vote for their favorite design and almost 100 people did, Skolnick said.

Here are the winning artists and the storefronts they will be on. [Check out the photo gallery to see the winning designs]

• Bruce Zeines for Bonnie Youth Club (1221 Church Avenue)
• Rudjessy Secours for Richie Rich (1219 Church Avenue)
• Sherry Ginsberg Davis for Iglesia Pentecostal (1115 Church Avenue)
• Nu for Children’s Corner (1101 Church Avenue)
• Catherine Rutgers for Drive Time Radio (1111 Church Avenue)

The winning artists get a stipend to put up the mural. The Church Avenue BID will also be recruiting volunteers to help clean and prime the gates next month.

Bruce Zeines, an artist who lives on Stratford Road near Cortelyou submitted the winning design for Bonnie Youth Club, a portrait of Roger Maris hitting a home run.

“I’m not a follower of sports but my favorite baseball player was Roger Maris, and I’ve always loved the image of his homerun swing,” he said.

Artist Sherry Ginsberg Davis, who lives on E. 5th St. and Albemarle Rd. submitted the winning design for Iglesia Pentecostal.

“It’s a social as well as artistic way to support the many people on Church Ave. and to make it vital,” she said.

George Glean, owner of Children’s Corner, a daycare center that’s been on Church Avenue for over 30 years, said he was thrilled to have the mural for his business.

“I think it’s a good idea. It helps, one, to beautify the neighborhood and, two, to give us some kind of identity on Church Avenue,” he said.

“I think it will bring a little bit of life on the avenue,” he added. “That’s what we need. It will warm people’s hearts.”

While installation of the murals is slated for next month, Skolnick said the official unveiling will be in June.