ADAMS — The world’s fastest portrait painter made his mark on the canvas — and on the students and the faculty during his visit to Adams Memorial Middle School Wednesday, Jan. 14.
Rob Surette, hailing from Andover, is known for his unique way of painting famous entertainers as well as political and historical figures. Making his entrance on a motor scooter, Surette immediately captured the attention of the student body.
When he began painting, it was not so much an exposition as it was an experience. With multi-colored lights, a smoke machine and musical compliments, he enlivened the stage. Surette used small brushes as well as his fingers while jumping, flailing, stroking and spattering to create a portrait of Abraham Lincoln in only six minutes and one second.
He then spoke about the importance of Lincoln and how he should be regarded as a hero for freeing the slaves as well as making other important contributions to American society.
Before beginning another portrait, Surette emptied a trash can onto the stage. He conveyed to the students that there are people living in such garbage today. Using a projection screen, he showed images of celebrities speaking about the importance of helping those living in squalor. In accordance with this theme, mere minutes later, he completed a portrait of Mother Teresa. He spoke of the good works she accomplished even though she was not big in stature.
The third and final portrait was of Martin Luther King Jr. Surette painted while footage of the civil rights movement was shown. At the conclusion, four minutes and 34 seconds later, the students and faculty studied the portrait quizzically. It did not look much like the civil rights leader. That was until Surette flipped the canvas: He had painted the portrait upside down. He was rewarded with applause and cheers.
The title of Surette’s show was, “Be Somebody.†He said that rather than be remembered for bringing an empty spectacle to the school, he wanted to be remembered as the man who encouraged the students to do their best and “live a good life,†which is why he chose to do portraits of three historical figures with strong moral senses.
Surette was also able to connect with the students by relating the triumphs of Abraham Lincoln, Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King Jr. to their everyday lives. He warned about making fun of others and bullying. He stressed solidarity among students within the school environment and in their communities. He made it clear that celebrities are not the only ones who can make a difference.
At the conclusion of his one-hour performance, Surette was completely covered in paint and ready to entertain questions from the crowd. When asked what became of his many portraits, Surette said he painted over some so the canvasses could be used again, while others have been auctioned for prices ranging between $10,000 and $30,000.
When the final question was answered, eager students rushed the stage in hopes of getting an autograph or a handshake. They were not ready to give up Rob Surette.
But even after he had gone, his message remained. The following afternoon, Memorial students Dimitri Peters and Arleyigh Bradbury recounted the lessons they had learned with fresh conviction. They said Surette made them think twice before “picking on someone†and that the right thing to do was to “stick up for people.â€
Jake Girard remembered Surette’s assertion that even the smallest people can make a difference. He aptly remarked of Mother Teresa, “She was really small. Small people can do big stuff.â€
Other students were able to empathize with Surette’s life. Surette lost his grandfather when he was young, but he said he never forgot how his grandfather was able to help harness his creative energy. It was in remembrance of this that Surette said he was motivated to leave the field of computer programming and pursue artistry.
Student Robert Gaspardi lost his grandfather one month ago. He said that he could relate to losing a loved one and wanting to make him proud.
The faculty reinforced the students’ enthusiasm.
“When we came in today, we didn’t talk about the weather; we talked about Rob Surette,†said Memorial teacher Kim Morandi. She added that the faculty regarded Surette’s presentation as being the best ever at the school.
Teacher Mark Ziaja likened Surette spreading his message to Johnny Appleseed spreading seeds throughout the countryside.
“Now it’s up to us to keep the message alive,†Ziaja said.
In light of that, Ziaja and other faculty members have worked the assembly into the curriculum. Ziaja asked his class to use three adjectives to describe Surette’s appearance. When his students used words like “spectacular†and “inspirational,†Ziaja said he was himself inspired.
Rather than signing his work, Surette marks his portraits with a handprint. He did so with the portrait of King, which he donated to the school. The portrait is displayed near the front entrance, constantly reminding onlookers of Surette and his message.
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Former Harry's Supermarket Under Construction for Restaurant
Late last month, the Conservation Commission greenlit some tree pruning on the property. New windows and a new door can be seen in the front of the building.
"It's a substantial renovation that's currently underway here," Brent White of White Engineering said, speaking on behalf of the applicant and owner, Huajie Zhu.
A fire gutted the longtime Wahconah Street supermarket in 2023, and the following year, Zhu purchased the property for $460,000 two years ago to build a restaurant with hibachi in the existing footprint of the more than 100-year-old building.
White explained that the project has been ongoing for over a year, and the Community Development Board granted the property a waiver to reduce the minimum required number of parking spaces so that additional spaces aren't needed.
He noted that, looking at the site plan, there is very little room to do so. A mirror will be installed near the sharp turn on Bel Air Avenue to alleviate traffic concerns.
Pruning will be done on trees in the southeast corner of the existing paved parking lot, as a number of branches are hanging over. The new owners also intend to patch, sealcoat, and re-stripe the parking lot.
A fire tore through the building less than an hour after the supermarket closed for the day three years ago. An automatic sprinkler system is required for the new use.
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