“The Dream” Mural by Artist Ed Morris

Location: Rite Aid Pharmacy at 337 Central Avenue, Jersey City

Date Installed: Summer 2013

Visit Jersey City’s Central Avenue shopping district to see and experience the entire “Dream” mural. Do not forget to bring your camera.

This mural was made possible through the efforts of the Central Avenue S.I.D. Management Corp. and funded in part by Rite Aid Pharmacy, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, administered by the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage AffairsThomas A. DeGise, County Executiveand the Board of Chosen Freeholders.

More Public Art on Central Avenue and in the Heights

Mural Description

By Artist Ed Morris aka “T.DEE”

How do you paint a dream? And in attempting to do so, how can you be sure you have included the dreams and aspirations of everyone on a bustling through fair like Central Avenue?

I’ve thought hard about this, and have decided the most humble approach would be to create a mural so grand and beautiful that it surpasses individual dreams, and touches the hearts of all it’s viewers inspiring them to dream in their own unique way.

The mural I am honored to present to my home community of The Heights and Central Avenue, is inspired by the elegant, dream-like underwater photography of Nadia Moro, combined with the graceful beauty of the line arts of Alphonse Mucha.

The central image is that of nothing less perhaps than the dream maker herself. A beautiful figure rising 16 feet off the ground with arms outstretched, her hair and gown flowing around her as she floats majestically in the center of the wall. Butterflies and flowers spring from her inspiration & playfully grace the entire length of the mural. She’s framed in a colorful Mucha inspired “ring of life.”

To either side there are yet other beautiful figures that float through the air in an elegant, dream-like way.

In keeping with the Trompe-l’oeil theme, all the figures will appear to be emerging from a sort of dream-like reality from within the wall itself. Portions of the existing wall will appear to have large sections of bricks missing as the butterflies, flowers, and figures float from within, and spill out onto Lincoln Street.

This “scattering” of imagery will also help keep the visual continuity of the entire building in tact, further enhancing the Trompe-I’oiel effect, as opposed to simply sectioning out a large rectangle to paint on, essentially separating it from the building. The continuing motif of the sections of broken wall, as well as the butterflies and flowers will help tie in the three main figures of the mural. With this technique I’m also able to propose that the mural extend the entire length of the wall from Central Avenue to the Lincoln Inn.

As evidence of the pride I take in my work, as well as my ability to execute this design, I humbly point to my previous works on the “Koi Too” mural on Hutton & Central Avenue, the “Geisha” mural that adorns the side of Guarini Plumbing on Fisk between Mallory Avenue & Rt 440, as well as my other 5 murals & paintings on public display throughout Jersey City.

As a lifelong resident, and someone who himself lives on Central Avenue, it is an honor for me to give back in this way to the community that nurtured and inspired me.

Press Release – Artist and Business Community Unveil “The Dream”

Jersey City, NJ – On Thursday October 24th, the Central Avenue SID Management Corporation proudly unveils “The Dream” mural on the sidewall of Rite Aid Pharmacy at 337 Central Avenue alongside City and County officials. The new mural, by Jersey City artist Ed Morris, covers approximately 2,250 square feet (150 feet long and 15 feet high) of wall space along Lincoln Street and draws on a Trompe L’oeil technique that uses realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that depicted objects exist in three dimensions.
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Jersey Journal – Jersey City Heights artist unveils ‘Dream’ of a mural

After three months of painstaking work, a Jersey City Heights artist today helped unveil his new mural, an 185-foot long painting on the side of a Central Avenue pharmacy that adds a little beauty to the neighborhood.

“The Dream,” artist Ed Morris’ new work, depicts children painting their own mural that includes fields of green, beautiful women and butterflies. The 16-foot-high mural runs the length of the Rite Aid at Central Avenue and Lincoln Street.
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