"New Day Dawns" Mural Installation, CGAC Mural Assistance Grant
“Thank you to the Greater Columbus Arts Council for your immense support for this project, for support of public art, and believing in me as a muralist to award me a mural assistance grant. The GCAC team are gems in our art community.”
“New Day Dawns” 500 sq ft
1601 Sullivant Ave. Columbus, Ohio
Public Art Mural funded by:
Greater Columbus Art’s Council Mural Assistance Grant, Franklin County, Sponsors of GCAC
"New Day Dawns" is a piece inspired by hope, looking forward to a brighter future, and a path to recovery. Along with figurative themes of what a new day dawning means to it's viewers, this mural also continues my public art themes of the importance of appreciating and conserving our planet and native species or wildlife and flora. "New Day Dawns" features memories held in my imagination of early mornings basking in the sunrise that lights up Columbus Metro Parks, specifically in this scene, Prairie Oak Metro Park. The bird in the foreground is a Henslow Sparrow, a bird that might be considered easy to overlooked and common, much like people in need of hope and recovery. These Sparrows, however, along with the Bobolink birds in the background, are experiencing declining populations and much like humans they need us as a community recognizing their value and being moved to action. Native wildflowers in mural are all either endangered or threatened: compass plants, false indigo, and prairie drop seed.
This mural is only possible through the Greater Columbus Art’s Council’s award of their Mural Assistance Grant, the city of Columbus, Franklin County, and sponsors and contributors of GCAC. I can not thank them enough for their unwavering support of Columbus’ artists and am deeply honored to have been a chosen muralist.
The Refuge, the home and location of “New Day Dawns” mural, is a non-profit addiction recovery ministry founded in Ohio in 1999. They are work-based, peer-supported and, although faith based, welcome and serve anyone regardless of faith or background. I have seen how addiction can tear apart lives of beautiful people in my own family and friends so bringing attention to hope from addiction while creating public art is immensely significant to how meaningful public art is to the community.
Work in progress video “New Day Dawns” mural installed via GCAC Mural Grant.
