KENNEBUNK — Seldom has such a group of artistic talent ever been assembled in Kennebunk t0 create a visual source of pride to be admired while helping a business owner rebrand and liven up his establishment.

Visitors to Christian’s Cafe and Eatery at 41 Main St. in Kennebunk were surprised to find that a crew of artists had gathered there on Wednesday afternoon to complete the first phase of new murals and paintings inside the restaurant to give it a bold new look.  The group was led by Kennebunk artist Danie Connolly, who put out a call to her friends to help lend a hand on the project.

“I got an email last week from Laura Dolce of the Kennebunk–Kennebunkport-Arundel Chamber of Commerce asking me to help a fairly new business, Christian’s Cafe, with art to put on the walls,” Connolly said.

Christian’s Cafe’s owner, John Dimitriou, opened the business in April at the site of the former Perfecto’s Caffe, which had abruptly closed in September 2017, leaving a large void in downtown Kennebunk for those who work and shop there. Dimitriou offers homemade bagels, soups, paninis and salads and his own brand called Wicked Owl Coffee.

Connolly said she corresponded with Dimitriou and sent him a few ideas for artwork, but it wasn’t until she actually dropped in to see the shop in person that she began to formulate a plan to add a “Wow” factor to the cafe’s interior.

“I told him the truth, that he was missing his ‘Wow’ factor big time and he was open to a metamorphosis of gigantic change,” Connolly said.

The first phase of Connolly’s plan for Christian’s Cafe involved sketching and painting a number of large owl murals in the dining areas matching his Wicked Owl Coffee theme. There’s also owl art included in the restrooms.

Work was wrapped up on the project by early evening and customers were greeted by the new standout artwork when the cafe reopened Thursday morning.

“I asked all my friends especially artists, to help and change everything in one afternoon and night,” Connolly said. “It’s going to be a fun place and we as a community will show how we walk the talk.”

The mural painting itself was mostly an epic paint by numbers session, but several area artists, including Kennebunk’s Dawn Burns, were able to create original owl art at the cafe.

“Danie called and asked for help and that’s how I got involved with this,” said Burns, who has her own art studio on Port Road in Kennebunk. “I’m using my own design with chalkboard which will be used as a message board.”

She said the work was challenging because she’s used to painting pet portraits and rarely uses her own designs for a project. She also enlisted the help of her husband Andy, a truck driver.

“It’s nice everybody’s pitching in to try and help John,” Burns said.

Many of the mural designs were drawn freehand in chalk outline by Connolly on the walls and then painted to her specifications by the rest of the crew. Some paintings range in size from a couple of feet tall to Volkswagen beetle-size in prominent cafe dining areas.

At some point next week, the rear entrance hallway for Christian’s Cafe and Eatery will also feature several owl murals painted by Connolly and several of her eager volunteers.

Artist Marley Raun of Kennebunkport has worked previously this summer with Connolly on the “Welcome to Maine” mural at the Maine Classic Car Museum in Arundel.

She sad she jumped at the chance to lend a hand and her creative talent with this endeavor.

“She (Connolly) put out the word that she needed help and here I am,” Raun said. “I see it as a gesture of god will and I’m happy to show up today to assist.”

Raun said her granddaughter loves owls and to her, the owl murals will seem like something from heaven when she goes to the cafe.

Dolce also showed up to help paint the new murals and said she was moved that so many others offered to do something nice for a new business owner in Kennebunk like Dimitriou.

“It’s great to see so many people here today for this,” she said. “It shows the spirit of this community.”

— Executive Editor Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 or by email at editor@journaltribune.com