Local resident coordinates local mural project

HAMBURG — “You should do a festival. When you get home, do it.” encouraged friend Clara Vanessa Avalo, of Miami, Fla.
Six murals later, Stefanie Jasper and Robert Whitescarver celebrated the Hamburg “Get Juiced” Garden Party kick-off, with interstate, and local, artists contributing their time and talent to the project. Thus, “Mountain Murals and Music” also began, including the music of: “The Good Whuppin String Band” and “Silvercreek.”
Jasper explained, her Co-Curators: Avalo, of “Uninhibited Urban Art Magazine” and Matthew Burrows of “Dripped on Productions,” New York City, coordinated six interstate mural artists, including: BK Foxx, Kwue Molly, Dentan Burrows, Ramiro Studios, Outersource!, Ratchi, and Yuhmi Collective to paint the murals.
Young local artist and neighbor, Kenny, also painted an American flag on a wooden pallet.
In addition to murals, the “Get Juiced” company, said Jasper, emphasizes a healthy lifestyle, with delicious, nutritious foods. They encourage outdoor physical activity, organic gardening, community gathering, and art projects. Also, they want to encourage people to take charge of their own health and food, while developing trust in local outlets rather than big corporations.
Currently, Jasper said, they are working on recipes and connecting with the local community. They would especially like to involve area teens by giving them work in: the garden and possibly a future commercial kitchen and greenhouse. However, all ages are welcome to work with them.
Already, a young neighborhood man, Jared, who is an artist, works in their organic garden.
Both Jasper and Whitescarver walk the talk because Jasper completed “pumpkin surgery” on every pumpkin plant by slitting the vines and extracting each grub like vine borer. Whitescarver said all of their “bug killing is by hand — the old, old, fashioned way.” He, himself, planted 1,800 cloves of organic garlic, experimenting with several different types.
“I went to a garden party...”
At the kick-off, they introduced the community to their organic garden and murals. Around 70-100 people attended throughout the weekend, including: tents, bonfire, drum circle, and hula hoop artist, within their 1.6 acres of farmland.
They served: amazing grilled cheese sandwiches, with sour dough bread on the grill, Indian food, ginger infused maple lemonade, Vanilla ice cream with a hot pepper, garlic, maple sauce, and salad picked fresh from the garden before being served. Jasper ferments her own garlic.
She also said many people asked, “How does that grow?”
“Oh, broccoli looks like that?” She grew 50 broccoli plants from seed, and picked all the bugs off by hand.
Jasper added they want to introduce people to healthy snacking and maximizing nutrition from food.
Whitescarver explained,
“Get Juiced” originated in the late 90s, when he researched personal health to run marathons," Whitescarver said. "Of all the running books he read, “Slow Burn,” by Stu Mittleman, emphasized diet, which Whitescarver said he had never considered before. After that, he added, there was a “very, very huge learning curve,” as he learned what foods are good for him personally.
Mural Background and future
Jasper said, her 30 years of work as a photographer brought her to Wynwood Miami, once an abandoned industrial area. However, Tony Goldman brought artists from all over the world to paint murals on the buildings. Once completed, Jasper said, people came from everywhere, and now it is booming.
Knowing Goldman Properties' success, Jasper hopes to officially kick-off “Mountain Murals and Music” festival 2017 next year, at the Fireman's Pavilion. She would like to build the Hamburg Main Street up with murals for the festival. Right now, she explained, the festival needs sponsors, including volunteers and services. For more information, see: Getjuiced.info. Jasper said, the project is available to the community, “but they have to participate.”
Joe Roche of Hamburg Plumbing Supply was one of the first businesses on board. Jasper said, he is an important supporter of the festival; and one of the six murals was painted on the side of his building, by Yuhmi Collective.
When asked about the mural on his building, Roche said, “It's great — getting a lot of attention. The majority of the people love it. We hope it picks up and does more for the town, the county, and the state of N.J.”