Catching stars with a net. White light refracted by a prism into the rainbow spectrum of color. These are images that speak to hopes and dreams for a brighter future. For immigrants arriving in America, it represents the better life they are seeking when leaving their homeland.

These were the themes National Grid sought to celebrate when it chose Schiller Park in Syracuse for its first mural installation. The park is located in Syracuse’s Northside neighborhood, where newly arrived immigrants have flocked for decades.

“Syracuse’s rich diversity is one of its most special characteristics,” said Melanie Littlejohn, National Grid’s vice president of customer and community engagement for New York. “You see it in the mosaic of businesses and storefronts across the Northside, with ethnic markets and groceries for different cultures. And you see it in the faces and hear it in the voices of the children who play at Schiller Park every day.”

National Grid commissioned Syracuse-based artist Ally Walker to develop the concepts and design the murals, which were painted on the exterior of the Bova Community Center at the park. Design work began earlier in the year. Walker began preparing the building in early August and finished work a few weeks later.

“The concepts for the three murals were derived from the using natural resources to inspire and engage with the community through art,” Walker said. “The front murals are about catching light and harnessing that power and the third with the two hands is about inspiration and ideas are born through working together to create and grow ideas into tangible concepts.”

She added, “I am really proud of these murals. They add a bit of extra color to the beautiful landscape and create an inviting environment that welcomes the community.”

Guests entering the park from the main parking area off Whitwell Drive are greeted by a large image on the side of the community center: a tree captured in a light bulb with multi-colored butterflies emerging from it. Walker said the idea is nature’s power and the inspirational energy of the community that cannot be contained.

On the front of the building are two additional installations. One features a net trying to catch stars and sunlight against a rich blue sky. It’s intended to represent the hopes and dreams of immigrants new to this country and the better life and brighter future they are seeking.

Another shows white light flowing into a raindrop and emerging as a rainbow of colors, which symbolizes the unity of the many cultures and experiences that come together in the neighborhood. The raindrop is set low to the ground so that children can interact with it and become part of the message.

Area children had a hand in creating the murals. A kickoff party in August brought together local groups in a community celebration at Schiller Park, and a handful of children picked up paintbrushes and added their own touches to the murals, adding color and depth.

“The kids from this neighborhood had a hand in making these murals, just as they will have an important role in crafting the future of this community,” Littlejohn said.

The mural was dedicated on Sept. 16 as part of National Grid’s second annual Day of Service to mark the anniversary of Project C, our community commitment initiative. At the ceremony, Littlejohn presented Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens from the city of Syracuse with a canvas of messages created by children that attended the kickoff event. These messages of hope will hang inside of the park’s community center.

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