Client: City of Huntington, WV

Overview

56 ft x 61 ft, asphalt stain mural at Highlawn Elementary School. Made possible by grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies, as a part of their Asphalt Art Initiative.

Design inspired by the local nature found in the Highlawn neighborhood, such as Dogwoods, Sycamores, and Magnolias. In the middle of the design are the blooms of these trees, depicted in bright colors. Leaves of these same trees circle the outer edges, moving your eye around the design. The background is blue to represent the river.

I chose these symbols to represent Highlawn after speaking directly with the community- it’s a peaceful but exciting place. Nature encourages us to think outside of ourselves and look to the bigger picture, much like Highlawn thinks about its community and feels tight-knit. It represents growth and different stages of life.

Goals

Building on the Huntington Innovation Project plan to revitalize Huntington’s most distressed neighborhoods, this community-backed placemaking effort was designed to spark more vibrant spaces, boost safety, and draw the public to long-neglected but emerging areas of revitalization and creativity.

Process

After getting input from residents during a series of community meetings, I created a couple of designs that reflected the unique culture of the neighborhood. Residents voted on the final designs and were then invited to volunteer to help paint during the summer of 2022.