On a tall brick wall overlooking the Tannery in Newburyport, a towering great blue heron spreads its wings, neck outstretched. Lower down, a spiny sturgeon undulates, while a pair of plovers flits above. Behind all the creatures, bold colors—vibrant cobalt, deep crimson, marigold yellow—splash across the brick.
“It’s very expressive,” says Boston-based artist Felipe Ortiz, contemplating his mural and preparing to add some finishing touches on a sunny late-July day. “There’s a lot of movement and energy.”
The sprawling artwork is part of