City Arts Nashua led the effort to restore the Yankee Flyer Diner mural, a 10 x 28 foot elaborate still-life composition depicting the life and soul of a city with the diner the heartbeat of hometown life. The mural not only documents what was a historic landmark, it also gives viewers a clear and detailed picture of mid-century life on a beautiful summer day in a New Hampshire city.

Painted in 1997 by Nashua native James Aponovich, the seven panel mural is located on the wall of 222-226 Main Street, across from City Hall and directly next to what is now Citizen’s Bank, the former location of the diner.

The Yankee Flyer Diner is not only a significant piece of public art, by a world renowned New Hampshire Artist Laureate, it is the only outdoor mural of a classic American Diner anywhere in the United States.

The mural was restored by Aponovich and his wife Beth in their Peterborough, NH home and studios. It was returned to its site and rededicated by Mayor Donnalee Lozeau on Saturday, November 28, 2015 at the beginning of Nashua’s annual Winter Holiday Stroll. We were fortunate to have Ginnie Lupi, director of the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, participate in the ceremony. This summer James and Beth Aponovich are finishing the final touch ups on the mural, and applying an anti-graffiti coating to the surface.

Thanks to Fou Mahfuz of PRG Rugs for co-chairing the restoration committee and providing transportation of the mural, to Janet Mahfuz for hosting the print signing reception and coordinating the sales and delivery of the Aponovich prints (you can still Buy A Print), to Michael and Sarah Buckley and Surf restaurant for hosting the raffle drawing, AlphaGraphics Nashua for providing the banner; and Regional Siding for removing, reinstalling and providing the new mural frame.

And thanks go to the many individuals that contributed to the restoration fund, with special thanks to the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts for a Conservation License Plate Grant of $20,000; to James Aponovich for donating his concept painting of the diner that raised over $15,000 from the limited edition signed prints of the painting; to the Burbank Fund for grants amounting to $10,000; and to Meri and Charles Goyette, Robert and Judith Carlson and Jim and Sandy Stellos for their significant donations.

See the following links for more information:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhnqQ5kfB1s

https://dinerhotline.wordpress.com/2015/09/28/nashua-nhs-yankee-flyer-mural-due-for-restoration/

http://www.nh.life/food-and-fun/aponovich-donates-painting-prints-to-mural-efforts/

http://www.unionleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20150710/NEWHAMPSHIRE01/150719968/img/footer-sidebar-bg.png

http://www.nhmagazine.com/Calendar/index.php/name/Psychic-Fair-Fundraiser-at-the-Hunt/event/12028/

https://roundtown.com/event/14089280/Jazz-Concert-to-Help-Restore-the-Nashua-Yankee-Flyer-Mural-Nashua-NH

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/neighbors/1070869-478/help-needed-to-restore-nashua-mural-before.html

http://content.yudu.com/Library/A3tukj/SouthNashuaLivingMag/resources/18.htm

http://www.hippopress.com/read-article/diner-mural-gets-update

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/living/lifestyles/1070759-469/imagine-nashua-then--now--yankee.html

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/1071190-469/nashuas-yankee-flyer-painting-removed-for-work.html