Client: City of Cedar Rapids, Advocates for Social Justice

Overview

This large scale mural entitled “Together We Bloom” is centered around a community flourishing together. The thoughtful imagery, hues and design showcase local flora as well as the hands of people from all walks of life who work together to blossom in the beautiful city of Cedar Rapids. Providing a link to connect the roofline and tower with the ground below, inviting its audience to pause on their journey, while becoming a notable public art destination for others. Forming the centerpiece of the mural is a diverse mix of hands joined together in a symbolic gesture of unity as they reach towards the sky. As an embodiment of hope, resilience, and love, the hands aspire for something greater than their own individuality. By grouping native florals such as the Purple prairie clover, Partridge pea, Gray-headed coneflower and wild bergamot we depict the closeness of Cedar Rapids as a beautiful bouquet blossoming together.

Goals

The concept for the mural considers the architecture, surrounding environment, community, and visitors in a single unified public artwork. We invite the viewer to pause and take note. The work is a rumination on our search for where we are going; and in its imagery, we find the path ahead lies in collective engagement and understanding.
As a diverse and resilient city, Five Seasons will look to its future with the knowledge that it is through community and universal embrace that greatness occurs. It is this message of hope that lays at the crux of We Bloom Together, serving as an a metaphor that celebrates inclusivity, acceptance, and the importance of growing as a community.

Process

We visited and spoke with many residents of cedar rapids and went through a rigorous design process taking into account everyone's input and relationship to the city. Working closely with Advocates for Social Justice the overall concept came to fruition, we took it back to Los Angeles and came up with the unique concept that was executed.

Additional Information

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” - Vincent Van Gogh