Undeterred by a confrontational act of vandalism, an artist whose public art work was damaged on Monday is committed to remake a painting commissioned for a utility box at the corner of Canal Street and Carrollton Avenue. Not long after completing the small mural, Heather Mattingly encountered an unidentified man who arrived on the neutral ground with white paint and a roller who went about destroying her creation.
Heather Mattingly painted a utility box at the intersection of Canal Street and Carrollton Avenue with an image of a Mid-City shotgun house surrounded by azalea bushes and tropical plants. Photo courtesy of Heather Mattingly.
The utility box is one of dozens found across New Orleans with authorized illustrations commissioned by Community Visions Unlimited (CVU), a nonprofit that enlists local artists to decorate otherwise unnoticeable utilitarian objects. Since its inception in 2010, this New Orleans Street Gallery Project has raised and distributed more than $100,000 to pay the artists and for paint materials. Nearly 300 utility boxes in Orleans, Jefferson and St. Bernard parishes have been transformed into public works of art. Many utility box commissions include portraits of New Orleans musicians, including Irma Thomas, Dr. John, Kermit Ruffins and Oliver “Who Shot the LaLa” Morgan.
For three days Mattingly had painted a purple shotgun house of the type commonly found in the Mid-City neighborhood, surrounded by hydrangea bushes and tropical foliage. She received $300 for her work. The vandal claimed he was an artist who had originally painted an image of Saints quarterback Drew Brees on the utility box and he took issue with his work being painted over.
An unidentified man who claimed his illustration of Drew Brees was removed from a utility box at Canal Street and Carrollton Avenue retaliated by applying white paint to a recently completed painting by Heather Mattingly.
“He said, ‘I’m going to add a little touch-up painting on this,'” said Maddingly. She implored the vandal “artist to artist” to stop damaging her work and said when she began her work the Drew Brees image had already been removed. The Brees mural was not authorized by CVU.
On Tuesday afternoon, brush in hand, Mattingly was recreating her original design. “I’m in the process of repainting because I decided I’m not going to be bullied,” she said. “I’m not going to let his act of anger make me fearful.” Though she does worry about more reprisal, Mattingly added, “I won’t give up on this project. It’s very important to me.”
Police were called and a report of simple criminal damage has been filed. Mattingly said she would not press charges if the unidentified man comes forward with an apology.
Anyone with information can call the Third District Police Station at (504) 658-6030.
