Muralist paints a sign for new business downtown

New London ― Muralist Michael Rice, of Hartford, worked Tuesday on a sign for Smokeez, a new business on Bank Street.

Smokeez is a boutique and smoke shop, co-owned by Norman Simmons and Kendall Andrews Jr., and will open in a few weeks.

Rice moved to Hartford in 2018 and worked as an art handler and sign fabricator.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was able to focus more on his art and presently works as a full-time professional muralist. Rice has murals in Hartford, New Britain and other locations.