One of distinctiveness about
city Seattle is to have intimate neighborhoods even though it is one of the big
urban cities in U.S. which is usually characterized as isolated relationship,
disconnect from others, monotony of life, and so on. The uniqueness can be
derived from just individual neighborhoods’ efforts; however, without any
backings or sponsor for the neighborhood or community, in my opinion, the
closeness could not be maintained. Seattle has its Neighborhood Matching Fund
program which advocates the neighborhood group project to build and support the
neighborhood community partnership. According to the department’s statement, since
1988, there were more than 3800 voluntary projects within Seattle encouraging
more community bonding.
“Bubbles the Turtle” and “The Ladybug” street
murals are the ones representing Wallingford neighborhood community. “Bubbles
the Turtle” was designed and drawn around at the intersection of Interlake
Avenue North and North 41st Street by Rachel Marcotte. And “The
Ladybug” is located at North 49th Street and Burke Avenue North and designed by
Eric Higbee in 2004. To make the murals vitalize, there are annual painting
parties retouching the murals. These murals bring neighbors get together
bonding, get to know each other better, and commune together making healthy
community.
These murals not only invigorate
the neighborhood atmosphere but also refresh or entertain other people who are
stressed out from their work or get bored from mundane urban life, and
monotonous daily task. People who drive by this intersection will slow down and
gaze out for the street mural.
View Wallingford Street Murals in a larger map
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