A new mural was unveiled on Saturday at Sophia Square in Carmel during the Allied Solutions’ Meet Me on Main gallery walk.
The mural, “Around Town,” was voted the winning submission to the recent public art mural contest sponsored by the City of Carmel and the Indiana Arts Commission. The mural has been placed inside the lighted interior entryway just steps away from the Monon Greenway and the courtyard at Sophia Square. It is visible through the windows in the breezeway between Monterey Coastal Cuisine and Pad Thai restaurants.
Jessica Eastburn, an artist from San Francisco, submitted the design that was a finalist among more than a dozen submissions from across the United States. Finalists’ submissions were put to a public vote at various events in the Arts & Design District, and Eastburn’s design was the winner. The colorful mural uses symbolism to pay homage to noteworthy aspects of Carmel and Indiana at large. Some of the symbols found within the mural include:
- Lilly pads in a pond, a reference to the Japanese Garden at City Hall.
- The words “GO” and “STOP” to pay tribute to one of the nation’s first traffic lights, invented by Leslie Haines and placed at Main Street and Range Line Road in 1924.
- An array of fruits to celebrate the Carmel Farmer’s Market.
- A vintage Indianapolis 500 race car to celebrate the Indianapolis 500.
- A depiction of the state flower, the peony.
- The feet of a bunny rabbit and a night sky filled with firefly lights to celebrate some of the most recognizable fauna of the state.
Eastburn
“To design the mural, I first researched all that I could about Carmel,” Eastburn said. “A design motif I settled on early was the circle. The circle kept creeping up in things I wanted to include in the mural: roundabouts, the first traffic light, tire wheels, lily pads, and so on. I attempted to pay homage to many aspects of what makes Carmel and Indiana great place to live. I hope I have captured some of that in the design. Most importantly, I hope the mural honors the community and spirit of Carmel.”
“Public art is an important part of our community’s culture and this mural celebrates many of the things that make Carmel a great place to live, work and play,” Mayor Jim Brainard said. “In addition to our sidewalk statues, roundabout sculptures and other large pieces, this mural further enhances the visual diversity to engage and inspire those who experience Main Street and Sophia Square.”
Eastburn is a professional artist and teacher in the Art & Art History Department at Santa Clara University. Her work has been exhibited in several states across the U.S. and throughout Northern California. Eastburn has created a variety of public art projects, including murals in several West Coast cities.
Learn more about public art in Carmel by visiting in person or viewing online for an interactive map of the public art pieces.