Local artist Ilona Sochynsky, while standing on the steel scaffolding erected in front of the wall she was working on, would, from time to time, lose the image of a particular fish that she was trying to paint with her brush.

That's where Dominic Alcaro, owner of Barbera Seafood and Produce, came in handy. Sochynsky, searching for that perfect visual image of the fish that would hopefully adorn her mural, frequently ventured into the neighboring seafood store for an upclose and personal look at the creature she was looking to recreate. This new nautical-themed mural (above) is located on the wall of Barbera Seafood and Produce across the street from the world famous White House Sub Shop on the corner of Mississippi and Arctic avenues. It was a project realized thanks in part to funding from the City of Atlantic City, Casino Reinvestment Development Authority and the Special Improvement District.

Sochynsky's goal was to properly pay tribute to the Italian community, which makes up the Ducktown neighborhood, and the Million Dollar Pier, which once stood on the current site of the Ocean One Mall on the Boardwalk. She spent nearly three weeks conducting research throughout the city by studying the history of the erstwhile pier with help from Bob Ruffolo, owner of Princeton Antiques. Sochynsky also studied many different varieties of fish and even conducted live research at Barbera's, as well.

Working on a surface 22' x 46' may seem like an artist's exciting dream, but it can also be an artists biggest challenge. This being her first outdoor mural of this magnitude, Sochynsky had to battle sagging energy levels and harsh weather conditions. Wind and the heat reflecting off of the enormous bright, white wall proved to be a daunting task. The mural features many oversized fish and sea life, such as salmon, bluefish, red snappers, flounder, butterfly fish, crabs and mussels, to reflect the area's abundance of ocean creatures. The pier is shown from underneath to give the painting added drama. The colors that were used were selected to ensure that the mural has a harmonious feel to it.

"I wanted the mural to be poetic, yet strong," Sochynsky said. "I wanted controled color and I didn't want to make it to dark." Sochynsky, a native of New York, currently resides in Margate and is a Graphic Designer. She graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design before embarking on her professional career. "I looked forward to this challenge. I wanted this mural to evoke the past and look to the future," Sochynsky said. "I am very pleased with how it turned out." It's still unknown whether the fish were painted from their most flattering side, though.