Art for all: local muralists spill about all things public art

These large-scale public art works do not just appear. They take planning, physical effort and tremendous dedication. They can be logistically challenging, yet deeply rewarding. One thing is certain: creating public art is a calling.

Buffalo Magazine recently asked three prominent local artists—Cassandra Ott, Saira Siddiqui and Johnfredrick Daniels—to share their thoughts on this unique medium.

Chances are, you have come across their work. Ott’s murals include the Town of Tonawanda Aquatic and Fitness Center and a welcome to Buffalo’s Hydraulics District. Daniels’ work includes memorials to the victims of the 2022 mass shooting in the Jefferson Avenue Tops location. And Siddiqui’s recently completed mural on the side of Stitch Buffalo on Plymouth Avenue, a collaboration with the Buffalo AKG Art Museum that involved nearly 1,500 local youth, residents and refugee women.

“Public art isn’t one thing anymore; it can be a mural, an installation, a performance or even a shared meal,” Saira says. “People are increasingly seeing public art as not just decorative, but participatory. It’s becoming more about the process—who’s involved, how it’s made, what conversations it sparks—rather than just what it looks like.”

“We are lucky to be surrounded by public art in Western New York,” Cassandra adds. “Buffalo has such a wonderful array of art and artists, and I hope that we can continue to increase engagement and funding for public projects that make use of the local talent and create more thoughtfully designed public spaces.”

Meet the muralists

Cassandra Ott calls herself “an artist and optimist working to add joyful art to the world.” Indeed, joy is evident in all her work. The Pittsburgh native moved to Buffalo from Chicago in 2014 when her husband, Aaron, was hired by the AKG Art Museum to spearhead and curate its public art initiative.

“Our move to Buffalo spurred me to get back to my own artistic practice after working in design and manufacturing,” she says.

In 2017, Cassandra painted a temporary floral mural on a wall as part of a solo show. This allowed her to “test the process of going bigger and helped me get over my fear of working at a larger scale.” A mural celebrating the 25th anniversaries of the Elmwood Village Association and Buffalo Garden Walk followed.

“The notion of painting a more permanent mural in public was scary but engaging with spectators and visitors was wonderful, and it has been a part of my art practice ever since,” she says.

Saira considers herself “an artist, urban planner and facilitator who thrives at the intersection of art, culture, neighborhood development and organizational growth.” Now the principal consultant and lead artist at SAIRA Creative, she studied graphic design in Chicago but ultimately found the experience unfulfilling.

“I was more interested in how places made people feel,” she says. “I became fascinated by the ways cities either brought people together or pushed them apart.”

In the years that followed, she worked as a community organizer and urban planner.

“In 2020, seeing people take to the streets with chalk, paint and protest art, something shifted,” Saira says. “I realized I had the rare combination of both the behind-the-scenes planning skills and the creative lens of an artist. That’s when I decided to integrate both sides of myself and use art as a tool for belonging and transformation.”

Johnfredrick grew up an “Army brat,” with both parents in the military. He was born on an Army base in Georgia and spent much of his youth in Baltimore.

“I started doing art because I went through a dark period in my life,” he says. “I got into some hard times and lost a child. So, I’ve been in that dark place. I tried to commit suicide, and I had to find something to do—which happened to be starting to create art.”

Heavy topics and dark times are confronted in Johnfredrick’s work, as well. His public art stems from one of the darkest periods in Buffalo’s modern history. Following the mass shooting at the East Buffalo Tops that killed 10 community members in May 2022, a friend asked him for help in a memorial mural.

“It was a form of therapy, and also something I could do to help the community grieve and to try to bring some light to a horrible situation that had taken place,” he says.

Impact and influences

Cassandra is drawn to public art for its “ability to engage people in their daily lives and meet them where they are.”

“It isn’t beholden to the conventional gallery and museum settings, which I love,” she says. “It also fosters a shared sense of space and creates community connections within an environment.”

“Public art tells the story of who we are—who was here before, who is here now and what the future might hold,” Saira adds. “It helps prevent blight, it brings life to walls and sidewalks, but more importantly, it fosters ownership. People start to see the space as theirs. That’s powerful.”

The greatest influence on her work is people: “community members, workshop participants, neighbors, elders, even casual observers,” she says. “Their stories, memories and ideas often become the foundation of a piece.”

Similarly, it is the community that inspires Johnfredrick, even during the act of painting.

“The energy of having people around you while you’re working, doing something you love, is really fulfilling,” he says. “The community engages with you while you’re there, and you’re able to talk to people and meet people.”

Challenges and rewards

All three artists say logistical issues are among their greatest challenges.

“Walls have quirks, weather doesn’t always cooperate and there are always logistical puzzle pieces to figure out—especially when you’re balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders or engaging the community in the design,” Saira says.

However, the challenges and pressures of mural work make the sense of achievement even greater.

“The more art I put out, the more positive thoughts and positive energy,” Johnfredrick says. “I’m giving back into the universe and to the community.”

“I get a sense of achievement when the work is installed and completed, but that is only the beginning of a mural’s impact,” Cassandra says. “The rewards are monumental. Making art that can help to shape an environment or create a meaningful impact in people’s daily lives is a beautiful gift.”