Support Watertown Artists, Amir and Nilou

Hello, we are Elodia Thomas and Bruce Coltin, residents of Watertown for over 40 years, and we are asking you to help support the artistic gift that Amir and Nilou have created for the Watertown community.

Amir Tabatabaei and Niloufar Keyhani, are both accomplished artists, who immigrated to the U.S. seven years ago from Iran, where the struggle for freedom of expression finds (as it often does) an outlet in artistic creation.

After spending a year in Brighton, Amir and Nilou settled in Watertown, and like generations of immigrants before them, they’ve made Watertown their permanent home.

They arrived in the U.S. with dreams, aspirations, and a strong work ethic. While working side jobs to support themselves, they stayed fully committed to seeking the right opportunity to realize their artistic dreams.

And then, opportunity knocked. A thirty-year-old mural on the outside wall of CVS, in the alley officially known as Merchants Row, had faded beyond repair. The massive wall – 16 feet high and more than 130 feet long − called out for a fresh vision.

Amir spent many hours studying the wall and its relationship to Watertown Square before developing a design that would incorporate his personal artistic vision for the mural that he would name: I See a Dream.

Here is the core of that vision in Amir’s own words:

“The dream of creating utopia, an ideal space built upon universal ideals of peace, justice, and happiness, is an aspiration shared by all human beings. Fulfilling this eternal wish is predicated on the realization of peace, altruism, equality, justice, and respect for human dignity and freedom.

In my design, I aim to convey these concepts which I deem crucial for cultivating collective wisdom and consciousness to bring about a better world for all.

I have illustrated the connection and communication between places and imaginary cities through roads and bridges, symbolizing a unified, interconnected world.”

Like any true artist, Amir is a perfectionist. It took him 60 days to complete his design. There could be no shortcuts to get it done sooner. To Amir and Nilou, perfection was an absolute obligation to all those who would view the mural. It was mutually agreed that Amir would stop working his side jobs and Nilou would take on extra hours at hers to allow Amir to develop and refine the design.

Then, to do the actual work of prepping the wall and painting the mural, Nilou took a leave of absence from her job so that they could both devote their time and energy to the mural that would serve as their formal introduction as resident artists to Watertown and the greater Boston area.

The work has taken about 60 days, making it a total of 120 days from design to completion of the mural. Safely working at the highest points of the mural required the rental of an aerial lift, at a cost of $3,000.

A grant was received from the Watertown Community Foundation in the amount of $3,200, which covers the lift and the electricity required to operate it. The cost of all of the paint and painting supplies came directly from Amir and Nilou’s personal savings.

Here’s what we can’t put a price on:

• Their labor: 60 eight-to-ten-hour days of painstaking work, performed mostly in oppressive heat and humidity and some days in the rain and done without ever uttering a complaint.

• Their future obligation: They are required by contract to perform any needed maintenance or repairs to the mural, including for vandalism, for the next five years.

• Their artistic sense: One definition: “It (artistic sense) is the ability to explore, experiment, and push past conventional bounds. A person with a strong artistic sense is someone who is able to see the world and people differently than everybody else.” These qualities are exemplified by the mural.

• Their legacy: Bridges are a prominent feature of the mural. What could be a more fitting symbol for connecting Watertown’s past, present, and future? And what could be a more fitting symbolic message for bridging some of the community divides that currently exist?

Amir and Nilou would never think of asking for financial support from Watertown residents. This GoFundMe campaign is totally our idea but done with their approval and appreciation.

Help us thank, support, and nurture these two wonderful resident artists so that the mural they’ve given Watertown will serve as their platform for artistic adventures, yet to come.

The first time that we met Amir and Nilou, we were swept away by their warmth, joy, energy, and optimism. We went home, grabbed our checkbook, and wrote them a check for $500. And then we heard from others that they wanted to donate as well. This GoFundMe page is an opportunity for members of the community to be part of something special.

No donation is too small.

Anonymous donations are welcome.

Please share this GoFundMe page.

Thank you,

Elodia and Bruce