Archer Park | Growing Together
Tulsa, Oklahoma | October 2024
64' × 9' | Aerosol on brick
For this project, I was selected to bring new color and artwork to the exterior of the restroom building at Archer Park in Tulsa’s Kendall Whittier neighborhood.
What made this project different was that the conversation started with the community.
Before developing the final mural, I had the opportunity to attend a community event where people from the neighborhood could share their ideas and talk about what they would like to see represented. Later, we came back together for another event where the mural concept was presented.
That community involvement helped shape the direction of the piece.
At 64 feet wide, there was plenty of room to tell a story, but I wanted the mural to still feel playful and appropriate for a park. I started incorporating objects and imagery that reminded me of spending time outside, including a dog, a frisbee, tennis balls, ladybugs, and other small details throughout the composition.
At the same time, I wanted the mural to reflect the people who actually use the park and the diversity of the surrounding neighborhood.
One of the elements I incorporated was “Welcome” and “Bienvenidos,” greeting visitors in both English and Spanish. I also included the Tulsa flag and different imagery representing community, culture, and the idea that this is a space meant for everyone.
The individual objects may seem simple on their own, but together they helped create something colorful, welcoming, and full of movement.
I enjoyed the idea of taking something as functional as a restroom building and turning the exterior into another part of the park experience. Instead of simply walking past a brick structure, visitors are met with color and small details they can discover as they move around the building.
The project was part of a larger community effort through Growing Together, and the finished mural was created to reflect the unity, culture, and spirit of Kendall Whittier.
For me, one of the most meaningful parts was being able to listen before painting. Hearing from people in the neighborhood, developing the artwork, and then bringing it back to the community made the process feel collaborative from beginning to end.
Public art is especially meaningful when the people who live around it can see something of themselves in it.
I’m thankful I was trusted with the opportunity to bring some more color to Archer Park and create something welcoming for everyone who uses the space.
