Philadelphia Mural Arts Program


In 1920, Robert Frost so eloquently urged us to think about the paths we travel in life. I cannot count the number of times I have driven around the city, in a hurry with a destination, hence just passing by the expansive murals that truly grace Philadelphia, missing an opportunity to engage more. Images, beautiful colors reflecting and inspiring transformation. This week, I chose to slow down, stop and take in the stories that each mural holds… “And that has made all the difference.”
Philadelphia is the mural capital of the world with over 3,300 paintings enlivening each neighborhood. Community involvement is a critical step in determining the appropriate theme to capture moments of greatness and celebration specific to that area. After taking the Northern Liberties’ tour, I decided to go back to this area to photograph the people because as Miguel Angel Ruiz said, “Every human is an artist.” “The dream of your life is to make beautiful art.” In Northern Liberties, both the hand and heart are creating art.