08/11/2026
My favorite part of this project was realizing how much supportive community I have around me.
My friends Channing and Robin came out to help on a few days. My mom and my aunt drove out to help me finish the North walls. My dad helped me install the vinyl on the bike racks. And my muralist friends from Wichita, Deber and Lindsey Kernodle, supported me with supplies. Having people show up like that for me, during long days of unexpected challenges, meant everything.
And that same community spirit extended beyond my circle. We hosted a community painting session at the library where patrons of all ages could leave their own mark on the mural. Watching people pick up a brush and contribute to something that will live on that wall for years was truly one of the highlights of my summer.
The people who walked in and out of the library stopped to watch, ask questions, and express kind encouraging words.
This project pushed me into new territory, technically, logistically, and personally. I did not know every challenge I was going to face going in, but with curiosity, determination, and the most incredible support system around me, we finished it.
Public art is never just one person. It is always a community. And this project reminded me of that in the most beautiful way.
