Artist Begins Work on Mural Project

When Freehold residents and visitors pass through the five-point intersection into, artist Matt Halm hopes they will take away a postcard of the borough’s rich history and culture. The Allentown, Pa. resident’s for the Freehold Borough Mural Park Project at 63 E. Main St. features images reflective of the town inside block letters spelling out “Freehold.”

“It will look kind of like a postcard,” Halm said. “There was a wealth of historical images and a lot of great history to the town. It was easy to come up with a design.”

The mural will include the Columbia Triumphant statue, Molly Pitcher and the historic Monmouth Courthouse, as well as cultural images such as a crowd scene at a Freehold Idol contest. The letters of “Freehold” will be brought together by linking images such as light posts, clocks and flag bunting.

In addition, the garage doors on the former Exxon gas station site will be painted to give the appearance of a Freehold Borough Fire Department truck and a Freehold First Aid & Rescue Squad vehicle inside.

Halm spent the past two weeks preparing the site for the mural, such as creating a grid system to enable the Freehold High School art students assisting him to paint the mural. The painting work began on Saturday and Halm estimated the project will take about a month to complete.

Halm, who has been active in the Lehigh Valley Community Mural Project, said he was initially attracted to the project because the mural would be the first such work in the area.

“It’s always cool to be involved with a mural that is the first of its kind in the town. There’s a process of getting people acclimated to what it’s about, but people here seemed interested right away. There’s a lot of community involvement in this project,” Halm said.

The mural project is sponsored by the Freehold Borough Arts Council (FBAC).

"We hope that this Mural Project will be a catalyst to encourage long term economic development built around a vibrant diverse artistic and cultural community," FBAC Mural Park Project Director Jeff Friedman said.

For information or to donate to the project, email Info@FreeholdBoroughArtsCouncil.org or visit the organization’s Web site.