Norwich — It might seem odd that a mural in the heart of the city, depicting two Norwich historic figures flanked by bright pink roses would also feature towering rocky mountains in the backdrop behind them.

The mountains could symbolize hope for the future, or obstacles these two individuals certainly overcame or something else entirely to the viewer.

“There’s a lot of different interpretations I could give this piece,” mural artist Ben Keller said Monday, taking a break from working on the final segment of the giant mural on the wall of Castle Church at the corner of Main Street and Broadway. “I don’t like to interpret for the viewer.”

The mural is dominated by two figures, James Lindsey Smith, who escaped from slavery and settled in Norwich as a successful businessman and author, and Sarah Harris Fayerweather, a student at age 20 at Prudence Crandall’s school for African American girls and in adulthood an abolition activist. Smith gazes toward the Wauregan Apartments across Broadway, while Fayerweather seems to be looking to the right, beyond the buildings in the way and toward the historic Jail Hill neighborhood settled by African Americans in the early 19th century.

At the base of the mural, Keller painted a remarkably realistic arched wooden castle door, based on an image of a German castle door.

“People love the door,” Castle Church Pastor Adam Bowles said. “It’s the door of opportunity. The door of hope.”

The $35,000 mural on the roughly 50-by-70-foot wall — the largest mural Keller has painted in his 4-year professional mural career — is the first phase of a larger project by Castle Church to honor the memories of the city’s early African American residents, create Jubilee Park in the long-blighted vacant ground in front of the mural wall and spark a broader revitalization of lower Broadway.

Keller expects to work on the mural all week and complete it by the unveiling ceremony planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at 4 Broadway, prior to the city’s annual Juneteenth Day Festival from 2 to 6 p.m. in the parking lot behind 241 Main St. Robenson Charlotin of Norwich, who modeled for the Smith portrait, and Olivia Langford of New York, a descendant of Fayerweather who modeled for her ancestor, are expected to attend the unveiling ceremony.

On June 22, the City Council will hold a public workshop at 6:30 p.m. to discuss a proposal to use $50,000 in the city’s American Rescue Plan funding to pay for the Yale Design Group to help design public spaces, including the Jubilee Park lot.

Bowles said he selected Keller more than a year ago, in part for his recent work on social justice projects, his self-determination and his ties to Norwich. Early in his career, Keller’s art was featured in a show at the Wauregan Gallery across the street. Keller also had painted portraits of some of the historic sculpture casts in the Slater Memorial Museum collection. Bowles already had decided on Keller for the Jubilee Park mural when Global City Norwich Liaison Suki Lagrito called to recommend Keller for the project.

Keller, 30, of Vernon, grew up in Hebron, is a 2010 graduate of Regional, Hebron, Andover, Marlborough, or RHAM, High School. Although not an art student, Keller spent many high school days after school in the art room, fiddling with paints and projects until the janitor closed the school.

He attended Manchester Community College for two semesters before dropping out. But he still credits art teacher Rick Harden as his mentor.

Keller said he perfected his mural style through “street art.” He started painting murals for free, and people took notice, commissioning him for specific projects, mostly historical local scenes in different towns. A history and architecture buff, he said he enjoyed that for a while before expanding his reach and outlook.

Keller became a full-time professional muralist in 2018. After Saturday’s unveiling ceremony, he will not get much rest before his next project. On June 21, he will travel with a mission group from his church, Farmington Church, to Ecuador to paint a 12-by-20-foot mural in the city of Guayaquil. Keller knows only that he wants to incorporate some of the brightly colored native orchids in the design he hopes will inspire peace in a region marred by violence.

“It’s been a huge honor to be part of this project,” Keller said of the Norwich mural. “I’ve been looking forward to this for 12 months.”

c.bessette@theday.com

If you go

What: the unveiling ceremony for Castle Church mural depicting Norwich African Americans James L. Smith and Sarah Harris, by artist Ben Keller

When: 11 a.m. Saturday 

Where: 4 Broadway, Norwich