Jessica Benassi-McGhee, a local artist and bar owner, has been creating a mural on a building along West Main Street. Benassi-McGhee said the family who owns the building approached her about the mural.
“They had seen some of my work and asked if I would be willing to create a piece that represented the fact that all of the tenants in their building are immigrants,” Benassi-McGhee said.
Benassi-McGhee said she embraces the fact that West Main is full of diversity throughout all of the businesses and neighbors.
“We have people from West Africa, Vietnam, China, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Japan, Argentina, Egypt, et cetera,” McGhee said. “This neighborhood has changed me for the better, and the people here have enriched my life.”
According to Benassi-McGhee, celebrating diversity and being able to give back to the community with the mural is what drives her to create it. The mural isn’t finished yet, but Benassi-McGhee said she anticipates it will be completed before winter. She said she hopes the completed version will be shown as an image that recognizes the sacrifices people make to come to America and start a new life.
On top of creating the mural, Benassi-McGhee is also the owner and operator of Blue, a bar located just down the road from Bradley on West Main. She said starting her business with her husband caused her to go on a hiatus from her education at Bradley. She was a biology major and hopes to someday finish her education.
Additionally, she founded Hey Lola, a jewelry company and blog. Benassi-McGhee said her other responsibilities have hindered the development of the mural, but she said she is determined to finish it.
She has been creating art for most of her life, but she has really embraced the role in the last 10 years. As for the mural, Benassi-McGhee said it’s a love letter to the neighborhood.
“I’m seriously head over heels for this community,” Benassi-McGhee said. “I love it so much. I hope the mural makes people smile. I hope it gives them a feeling of pride, a piece of art to call their own and something that will brighten their day.”
