ALPHA LOOP MURAL
During the summer of 2020, when the world was still reeling from the sudden changes of COVID-19 lockdowns, I took to walking the newly-developed Alpha Loop, a pedestrian trail that connects two of my hometown's major shopping centers. The first time I walked the Loop, I noticed a brick retaining wall with three rectangular concrete panels, almost perfectly set up for a work of art. After a few weeks of thinking on it, I decided to reach out to my city council with a proposal, and offer to fill the space with a set of murals. The council was on board immediately! They connected me with Kim Zane, the Cultural Services Manager for the city, and Diane Grecco, a community member who had volunteered to help with outreach and fundraising for the project.
After 6 months of proposals, iterations, community input, and City Design Council approvals, the mural was finally brought to life! I'm so glad my first independent mural commission allowed me to leave my mark in the town I called home for over 20 years. The final design was inspired by the idea of perseverance, both personal and communal. In the same way that wildflowers bloom brightly after a cold winter, and I know our community will persevere through the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Check out the photos of the final mural below, and scroll down to see some of the different options and iterations we went through before arriving at the final design!
PROCESS
"Before" state of the mural location
Initial design sketches included in my first proposal to the city council
Three different style explorations offered to the community for a vote. The style on the left won the poll.
The winning design was adjusted, taking on an "earth tone" color palette and expanding the design into the two side panels
After community feedback, words were removed, and flowers were given a more "realistic" form.
And here was the final design all painted!