Laura Barrios Mural Unveiling

About this event

The Let It Shine Public Art Partnership will unveil a new mural by Laura Barrios on Thursday, October 22 at 4 pm on the train platform at the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority Intermodal Center located at 1 Columbus Avenue, Pittsfield. This project is part of the “Emerging Artist Program” which is now in its third year.

Laura worked alongside mentor artist, Jesse Tobin McCauley, to develop and execute a 20’w x 6’h mural on the train platform alongside three other existing murals.

Laura Barrios is a Colombian visual artist who has built her career through drawing, painting, tattooing, and muralism. Her artistic training and experiences in different cities and countries have enriched her visual language, characterized by realism, attention to detail, and a deep connection with nature.

As an immigrant artist who has continued to develop her career in Massachusetts, Laura finds in art a way to tell stories, create connections, and build new bonds with the communities around her.

Her mural in Pittsfield features a setting inspired by the forests of the Berkshires, where three migratory birds take center stage in a composition that celebrates the beauty of nature and the journeys that connect different territories. Through these birds, the work also evokes the human experience of migration: leaving behind a familiar place, crossing borders, and adapting to a new environment without losing the connection to one’s origin. The mural invites reflection on belonging, empathy, and respect for each person’s right to seek opportunities and build a home of their own, wherever life takes them. Through this work, Laura celebrates the diversity of the paths that unite us and the importance of recognizing that we all deserve a place to call home.

“The Emerging Artist Program is all about cultivating the next generation of mural artists in Pittsfield,” says Tobin McCauley. “It was wonderful to mentor Laura as our third emerging artist and have her contribute her talent and creativity to the BRTA mural wall!”

Let It Shine is a public art initiative that strengthens community identity, inspires civic pride, and expands access to creative expression through highly visible, place-based projects. Through large-scale murals, youth-centered collaborations, and opportunities for emerging artists, the program celebrates local creativity, beautifies shared spaces, and engages residents and students in shaping the character of their community.

Let It Shine is guided by a committee of community members, including representatives from Mill Town Foundation; the City of Pittsfield; Downtown Pittsfield, Inc.; and local artists. This collaborative approach helps ensure that projects reflect the creativity, character, and priorities of the community. An additional thank you is extended to the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority for its ongoing partnership in the Emerging Artist Program.

For more information on the Let It Shine Public Art Partnership, email Jesse Tobin McCauley at jtobinmccauley@cityofpittsfield.org or call the City of Pittsfield’s Office of Cultural Development at 413-499-9348.