The City of Yonkers recently unveiled its newest public art additions to the downtown waterfront created by the prominent Yonkers-based artists Paul Greco and Luisa Baptista.
Baptista, more commonly known by her artist name Luisa Vibes, unveiled her mural “Downtown Waterfront Vibes,” located in the Buena Vista Parking Garage Center at 8 Buena Vista Ave. Her mural is a contemporary piece of art meant to complement the waterfront.
Greco also unveiled his mosaic “The Meditation Circle,” located in the sculpture meadow along the waterfront, at 20 Water Grant St., which connects to the larger urban culture of the downtown. “The Meditation Circle” is the latest addition to the meadow, as his artwork joins dozens of public art pieces displayed through the Yonkers downtown and contributes to the city’s burgeoning arts scene.
“Yonkers has quickly gained notoriety as a destination city for artists to live, work and exhibit,” said Mayor Mike Spano. “Thanks to the newest additions from Yonkers’ own Paul and Luisa, who have contributed their pieces of art to the beautiful mosaic that is Yonkers.”
Baptista is a lifelong Yonkers resident and artist who immigrated from Portugal at the age of 3. Early on in school, she attended Charles E. Gorton High School where she excelled beyond expectations and lobbied for advanced art classes. Baptista then went on to earn a bachelor of arts degree from Marymount College in Tarrytown, where she studied psychology and studio art and became directly involved in its international English school, EF, which reinforced her multicultural awareness and appreciation for the arts.
In her professional career, Baptista has worn many hats – as an educator, mentor and manager – but always remained an artist who sought to visually intertwine and bring together divergent and contrasting parts of a whole.
Greco is a Yonkers-based artist who attended The School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, focusing primarily in painting and sculpture. He is an esteemed member of the Upstream Gallery and has constantly exhibited his work there and abroad.
“I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to create this permanent sculpture installation titled ‘The Meditation Circle’ for the people and the City of Yonkers,” said Greco. “My goal was to create a special place where people could feel peaceful and enlightened – a place for conversations and discussions of issues large and small.”
