When it rains, the image of an oak tree appears on the brick wall of an old synagogue in Hartford, Connecticut. The 30 foot tall water mural was created by Connecticut-based artist Adam Nilewicz, who created the image by weather treating the surrounding brick. Nilewicz says, “Public art should embrace the existing environment and work to enrich reality. The blank slates (almost screens) of the two downtown buildings invite visuals that give counterbalance (nature) and meaning (historical context). The image of the Charter Oak speaks to both. The projection of the new tree speaks to the continuum.” The oak tree is a symbol of American Independence from a well known painting by Charles DeWolf Brownell called “The Charter Oak“.
