If you live in College Park or have driven through it recently, you may have noticed a color-filled transformation. College Park’s public art reflects the unique identity stories of our community in a vibrant, affirmative way. Here’s a catalog of College Park’s public art scene: 

Psychophily – “Pollination by Butterfly”

Artists: Corey L. Stowers, Jason Philip

Key Collaborators: The Partnership, Prince George’s County Redevelopment Authority, The City of College Park’s Façade Improvement Program.

The mural, installed with funding from the Prince George’s County Redevelopment Authority and the City of College Park’s façade grant program, was completed by local artists Cory L. Stowers and Jason Philp. Both artists are from Hyattsville, Maryland, and painted the mural to completion with the help of their team in just under one month. The mural features native Maryland species, including the Checkerspot Butterfly, Black-eyed Susan, and Terrapin. For more than 100 years, College Park has been planting the seeds of conservation. This mural is an ode to the contributions made by the city and university toward protecting our environment. The mural honors the role of pollination in our ecosystem, with the aim of drawing attention to the plight of the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly. 

Kilmany-Jo Liversage Mural

Artist: Kilmany-Jo Liversage

Key Collaborators: Nando’s Peri-Peri

Kilmany-Jo Liversage uses street-art style graffiti acrylic paint and aerosol sprays to bring vibrant, modern design to public spaces. The 15-foot-tall mural at the crossing of Knox Road and Baltimore Avenue depicts the strength and independence of South African blogger Siki.

Lakeland: A Path Forward

Artists: Sierra Sigmone, David Silva, and Bonnie Simonds

Key Collaborators: The Partnership, Lakeland Community Heritage Project, the College Park Arts Exchange, Anacostia Trails Heritage Area, UMD Office of Community Engagement, Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), University of Maryland College Park Scholars

“A Path Forward,” honors Lakeland’s past and celebrates hope for an equally remarkable future. The past is depicted by paintings of historical images shared from the archives of the Lakeland Community Heritage Project. The backgrounds for the images are scenes from the local natural environment, including the Paint Branch.

The future is represented by an opposing wall of colorful artistic designs completed by the University’s College Park Scholars. The mural’s location symbolizes the connection between the Lakeland community and the University of Maryland. Learn more about this work here.  

Aster Underpass Mural

Artists: Jessie Unterhalter and Katey Truhn (Jessie and Katey)

Key Collaborators: The Bozzuto Group, The Terrapin Development Company (TDC) 

Jessie Unterhalter and Katey Truhn, the Baltimore-based artist team better known as Jessie and Katey, use vibrant, geometric language to transform unsung public spaces. Their iconic display of abstract, bold designs is unique to the space it inhabits. This installation adorns the walking bridge connecting two otherwise separate parcels of Aster College Park. The work is fabricated using Polytab, a weather-resistant, lightweight material similar to wallpaper. The supporting pillars are cleverly designed to lead the viewers’ eye up to the installation. 

Pocket Park

Designers: Groundswell Design Group

Key Collaborators: The Terrapin Development Company (TDC) 

University of Maryland’s Terrapin Development Company tapped Groundswell Design Group to create a vibrant ‘pocket park‘. The public park is located adjacent to the Hall CP and WeWork and boasts custom-designed swings and artwork.

Only Rain Down the Drain Murals

Artists: Chrissy Wilkin, Maria Soboleva, Jak Lunsford, Maddie Olek University of Maryland Art Students, Sierra Sigmone, Lamont W. Harvey, H.K. Beall, Alison Lovejoy Spain, Josephina McAndrew, Niamh Ducey

Key Collaborators: College Park Arts Exchange, City of College Park’s Committee for a Better Environment (CBE)

The City of College Park’s Committee for a Better Environment (CBE) partnered with the College Park Arts Exchange to highlight the environmental consequences of pollution to local waterways via storm drains. The murals are a collaboration of several artists in 16 locations across the city, as identified in this MAP provided by CBE.  

Mural at Union on Knox

Artist: Jen Hill

Charlottle-based artist Jen Hill from North Carolina makes her art a Warholesque pop cornerstone of the city. Bold, bright colors located at Union on Knox depict a contemporary rendition of the Black-eyed Susan, Maryland’s state flower.