About this mural:
This storm drain mural was commissioned by Downtown South Bend, Indiana, as part of a public art initiative featuring thirteen artists transforming storm drains along Michigan Street from Colfax Avenue to Wayne Street. The project was developed in support of a clean waterway initiative, using public art as an engaging educational tool to encourage environmental stewardship. After receiving a direct invitation from Downtown South Bend during the month-long open call, I researched native wildlife found within the local watershed and designed an original concept featuring species that call these waterways home. My proposal was selected for the project, leading to the creation of this vibrant mural. To expand the educational impact beyond the mural itself, I designed informational signage incorporating my original river mini-series paintings, created educational coloring pages explaining how everyday actions affect local waterways, and received approval to distribute these resources to the public during the event. With permission from the organizers, I also incorporated my signature UV-reactive acrylic paints over the project's supplied materials, making this one of the few outdoor public murals that transforms under ultraviolet light. Even at night, passing headlights can activate subtle fluorescent effects, giving the mural a dynamic second life after dark. Sponsored by Jimmy John's, the completed artwork features a vibrant leopard frog and two expressive painted turtles rendered in a playful, large-eyed illustrative style. Graffiti-inspired lettering asks, "Do you know where the drains go?" and answers, "Into our home, all things flow!"—a reminder that storm drains lead directly to our rivers and streams, making every action upstream part of a shared ecosystem.