They were all artists for a day. More than 40 people picked up brushes on October 21 to paint a 774 sq. ft. mural, completing the transformation of a concrete foundation into sky, land and water in four hours.
No artistic talent required, just a desire to contribute to something beautiful — for an entire neighborhood.
The mural is located at the intersection of Lyon Avenue and Chase Street in Woodland Heights, our partner in Neighborhood Revitalization. This community mural is a result of a conversation with residents who were asked to choose a short-term project made possible through a grant from Fund for Shared Insight.
Woodland Heights is eager to embrace an identity of a neighborhood with creative spaces. The bright colors on the “Woodland Wall” make the lot look completely different. It’s no longer an abandoned eyesore but a gathering place that addresses one of the goals of the neighborhood: Beautification.
Victory Mission owns the property and used the warehouse before it caught fire and was demolished. The lot was cleaned up with the help of two volunteer groups from Jack Henry & Associates. After the primer was applied, three artists from Moon City Creative District drew the outlines for the design. Linda Passeri, Marian Chamberlain and Jennifer Wolken chose a design that reflects artistry from the natural world.
“I like taking something that is not natural, like concrete, and turning it into something that adds beauty to our neighborhood through images of nature,” said Linda Passeri, project manager. And while the concrete foundation is not a perfect canvas, “We work with what we have,” said Passeri.
This project is a partnership between Moon City Creative District, the Woodland Heights Neighborhood Association, Springfield Victory Mission and Habitat for Humanity of Springfield, Missouri, all working together to revitalize Woodland Heights. Neighborhood Revitalization works to improve the quality of life in a neighborhood by listening to residents, setting goals, making a plan and bringing in partners.
Moon City Creative District is a live/work area for artists north of Commercial Street. The vision is to establish a vibrant and unique area that provides a wide range of arts, cultural, employment and living opportunities.
This is not a makeover, but a Moon City Art Takeover of the property owned by Springfield Victory Mission at 422 W. Chase St. The old warehouse foundation will become a colorful symbol of a bright future for the creative district and Woodland Heights.
View more photos from the Moon City Art Takeover here.
