Two Wrasslin’ Cats Café celebrates new mural
By Susan R. Waide
Fifty guests helped celebrate Two Wrasslin’ Cats Café’s new community mural Oct. 4 created by artists Jac Lahav and Aliyah Lacombe. This mural tells the story of East Haddam’s history through a procession of whimsical, anthropomorphic cats.
Speakers included mural artists Jac Lahav and Aliyah Lacombe; Mark Thiede, owner of Two Wrasslin’ Cats Café; Dr. Karl P. Stofko, East Haddam’s Municipal Historian; East Haddam’s First Selectman, Todd H. Gelston; Connecticut State Senator, Norm Needleman; Nancy Gladwell, PARJE (Public Art for Racial Justice Education), and Amalia Shaltiel from the Sustainability Team in East Haddam.
The mural uses anthropomorphic cats to create a colorful procession through East Haddam’s history. By combining historical themes with imaginative characters, the artwork offers residents and visitors a creative way to connect with the town’s past while celebrating its present-day community.
This project demonstrates how public art can bring people together, encourage conversation, and transform a familiar community space into a place for storytelling and reflection.
Gladwell, co-chair of Public Art for Racial Justice Education, talked about the mural and PARJE’s initiative to bring communities together to promote racial justice, education, and healing through collaborative public art projects.
“This mural was funded by the generosity of over 100 people in addition to a $7,500 Sustainable CT Community Match Fund for local grassroots projects because Sustainable CT provides a dollar-for-dollar crowdfunding match, the café (which operates its community initiatives under its non-profit arm, the Two Wrasslin' Cats Accord) has unlocked grant funding for multiple community-driven initiatives,” Thiede said.
Shaltiel spoke about her organization’s involvement in the mural project. The Sustainability Team has been deeply involved in municipal climate resiliency, community outreach, and eco-friendly programs aligned with Sustainable CT, a statewide voluntary community certification initiative.
This mural is a collaborative effort involving artists, students, and East Haddam residents. Together, they have created a work that transforms an everyday space into an artistic landmark, one that reflects East Haddam’s history while celebrating its present-day community.
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