Maitland Mediterranean stand debuts cosmic mural

You’ve probably noticed the Mediterranean Street Food by Shishco stand on Lake Avenue — the structure has been part of the city for three decades.

These days, though, you might have noticed something new: a large, vibrant mural wrapping along the stand depicting the silhouette of a woman containing the entire cosmos. 

It’s all part of the plan, according to owner Julio Bermudez. The owner of the stand, which serves a number of Mediterranean dishes, always had been a fan of art and thought his stand needed a touch-up. That’s where Brandi Hart, Bermudez’s childhood friend of 18 years, came in.

Hart, a second-grade teacher at Swanee Elementary in North Florida, is also a part-time artist who holds an art degree from the University of Central Florida. Although she had placed her art career on hold for the sake of her one in education, lately, she has revisited her more creative side. She now is promoting herself online and offering to draw, design, or even create artistic cakes and cookies. When Bermudez asked her to spearhead the project, she jumped at the opportunity.

“It’s been fun, we have a great time,” Bermudez said. “We’ve gotten into paint fights; we have 18 years of friendship. We see the same thing in a different way and help each other with it.”

There were a few restrictions, though. The mural wasn’t allowed to have a message or words — the final design had to be something strictly visual. Hart and Bermudez took that as a challenge and found something that worked on a purely aesthetic level. Although the original idea was to have just a woman’s silhouette, it quickly shifted into a more celestial design, an aspect Bermudez appreciated. 

Hart sketched the final design and drew the woman on the stand. The duo then spray-painted in the colors and galaxies that surrounded her. Bermudez followed Hart’s lead, helping with the mural in several places.

Hart made the three-and-a-half-hour drive to Maitland to assist Bermudez with the mural for the last two months. The actual painting of the piece, though, only took two days to complete – not that those two days were easy. The duo faced fierce heat and Orlando’s brief cold snap — not to mention intense winds that messed with the paint — but Hart still thinks the final product is magnificent. 

“It’s all in the moment; that’s the beauty of art,” Hart said. “It changes and evolves with how you think and what you’re feeling that day.”

The pair met in middle school and stayed close throughout high school. Although they grew apart later in life, Hart said they have a friendship through which they can meet again like no time had passed.

The galaxy girl is just the start. Bermudez said he wants paintings and color to wrap around the entire stand and has started work on the other side. He’s continuing to work on it. 

“It’s still not finished; we still have a lot to do,” Bermudez said. “The other side is still going. It’s been around two months since I got started. … After I cover the right side of (the stand), next is the friend. I still need to add color. I want to keep it all in the mystical (area). I like the color and want to keep it that way.”