Public art installation to be on display throughout the town
PLYMOUTH, MA, ISSUED AUGUST 11, 2025…The beachfront in Manomet has always been one of the best places in Plymouth to see a harbor seal in its natural habitat. That is about to change in an artistic way thanks to a Plymouth Chamber of Commerce project called “Seal’d with Art: Plymouth Harbor Seals.”
The goal of the project is to inspire a deeper appreciation for Plymouth’s rich artistic community and natural environment. The public art installation – featuring hand-painted seal sculptures, each designed by local artists – should begin appearing all around town by the end of the summer, and will stay on display through 2027. Previous art installations included lobsters and scallop shells.
The Chamber put out a call this spring for people interested in taking part in the project and 25 artists of all genres have been given the honor of painting a seal. Two of those selected, Nikki Packard and Jessie Fries, also share another bond. They were part of the first graduating class from Carver High School together in 1989.
Packard is a muralist living in Kingston and her creation will live in front of the Cape Cod 5 bank on Commerce Way. Fries’ harbor seal is located by her store, The Art Shop, on Main Street in front of Memorial Hall.
“I was very happy to be sponsored by a bank. And no, unfortunately they’re not giving out free samples,” Packard joked. “It’s a great feeling to drive by one of my art pieces and think to myself ‘Hey, I did that.’
“I’ve always wanted to be an artist and one day I saw a mural on somebody’s social media feed and it looked like something I could do,” Packard added.
She was right. The UMass-Dartmouth graduate has painted murals all around Plymouth at locations including Three Hearts Farm, The Rock Bottom restaurant, and Lobster Tales, as well as at Cornerstones in Carver, and KTD Sports in Kingston. Her work is also on display at other locations across eastern Massachusetts.
More information about Packard and her availability for other projects can be found at https://betterplanetstudio.art.
Contact Bob Nolet at bob@plymouthchamber.com for more information on “Seal’d with Art.”
Photo 1 – Nikki Packard paints her harbor seal
Photo 2 – Rock Bottom Seafood in Cedarville
Photo 3 – Lobster Tales