public space
Location: Edgewater Beach- 225 W Marquette Rd, Chicago, IL, 60621
Year(s): 2021
Participants: Volunteers, Community Members, and teen Apprentices
Partner(s): Innovation 80
Description: Our team completed this underpass mural with community members, volunteers, and our teen apprentices. The design features clusters of flowers and was voted on by the local community.
Location: Edgewater Beach- 355 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60607
Year(s): 2020-2021
Participants: Volunteers and Community Members
Partner(s): Allied World Insurance Company
Description: Our team completed this mural with community members and members of Little Brothers. The design of this mural was inspired by Little Brothers' motto, flowers before bread, expressing the spirit that man does not live by bread alone; it is the human touch that makes life worth living.
Location: West Ridge-5801 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60659
Year(s): 2017
Partner(s): Ward 40
Description: Inspired by the lush beauty of the West Ridge Nature Preserve, these three mosaic tree tower sculptures, situated along the walking path, pay tribute to the surrounding wildlife.
Location: Edbebrook, North Edgebrook, Wildwood - 6710 N. Kinzua, Chicago, IL
Year(s): 2012-2015
Participants: 75 [9th-12th grade students]
Partner(s): After School Matters, Neighborhood Connection Project
Description: The pedestrian underpass, which connects 3 communities, is covered with images of native flowers, the area's ties to the railroadm and the region's history with Native Americans, especially Billy Caldwall.
Location: Woodlawn - Dorchester Ave + Marquette Rd, Chicago IL 60637
Year(s): 2016
Participants: 15 [all ages]
Description: GSM worked with youth from Woodlawn community groups plus hundred of volunteers from throughout the city to transform this space. Spanning the length of a Metra underpass in the center of Woodlawn, this gateway mural incorporates musical imagery that reflects the community's jazz legacy as well as floral motifs that represent the Woodlawn Botanical Garden.
This project was featured on NBC's Making a Difference segment in August 2016!
Location: Woodlawn-65th Street and South Dorchester Ave
Year(s): 2017-2018
Participants: Volunteers and Community Members
Description: This sprawling mural spans both sides of the underpass at Woodlawn and 65th Street and is a tribute to the area's illustrious history and lush natural environment. The mural includes historic pictures of Woodlawn, depictions of local wildlife, and features the Obama family at the 2013 Inaguration Ball, Minnie Ripperton, Lorraine Hansberry, and Angela Davis. Our team later worked to add painted designs to the underpass columns.
Location: 2424 W Peterson Ave, Chicago, IL 60659
Participants:
Year(s): 2020
Description: This summer our team worked through some sweltering heat to beautify the outdoor space of the Asian Human Services in the hopes of highlighting the wonderful support the center provides for immigrants and refugees in Chicagoland, focusing on community health, counseling, education, and job-related services.
Location: 4701 S Martin Luther King Dr, Chicago, IL 60653
Year(s): 2018, 2019 Partners: After School Matters Participants: 35 (9th-12th Grade)
Description: We worked with Chicago youth to create an installation that pays tribute to influential African American blues artists Billie Holiday, and Buddy Guy. The piece works to highlight the organization’s mission of protecting the rich, diverse culture & history of African Americans.
Location: 545 W. 63rd St
Year(s): 2018 Partners: 20th Ward, Boeing, Teamwork Englewood
Description: GSM worked with Teamwork Englewood and residents to create the design for a public art project on 63rd and Wallace. After a series of meetings where neighbors of all ages contributed suggestions for themes and ideas to include, GSM presented two designs which were voted on by the community. The winning design was installed by our team of Teaching Artists and Interns, along with Teen Apprentices from the community, and 100+ volunteers from near and far. Situated on the busy thoroughfare of 63rd St, the mural welcomes passersby with vibrant, positive imagery showcasing the diversity and beauty of Englewood.
Location: 4800 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60639
Participants: Chicago Cares
Year(s): 2019
Description: Located under the Grand/Cicero Metra stop, this mural highlights the diversity and history of the Belmont Cragin neighborhood. The design welcomes people to the neighborhood in English and Spanish and also includes imagery about the Hispanic, Native American, and Bohemian roots that run deep.
Location: 4014 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60639
Partner(s): Former State Rep. Arroyo, The Miracle Center
Year(s): 2019
Description: This mural located in the heart of Hermosa decorates both sides of the underpass. One mural includes a tribute to members of the 65th Infantry Regiment known as the Borinqueneers and a message honoring all veterans. The other side includes notable neighborhood highlights such as the historic Walt Disney’s birthplace home and honors the creator of Schwinn bicycles and The 2016 World Series Champions, the Chicago Cubs.
Location: Ashburn, W 79th St & S Kedzie Ave Chicago, IL 60652
Year(s): 2018
Participants: Volunteers and Community Members
Partner(s): 18th Ward
Description: This mural, located at a busy intersection on the Southwest Side of Chicago, is part of the 50x50 Neighborhood Arts Project, which provided funding for a public art project in each of Chicago's 50 Wards.
The 18th Ward chose us to help beautify this Metra underpass to make it more pedestrian-friendly. They wanted a design that would name each of the different neighborhoods of the ward, showcase the diversity in the area, and highlight the fact that many people in the ward are civil servants, including police and fire fighters.
Location: Edgewater-5940 North Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60660
Year(s): 2017
Participants: 30 [9th-12th Grade]
Partner(s): After School Matters; 48th Ward
Description: Over the fall of 2016, teens in our After School Matters program at Broadway Armory explored the ideas of identity and diversity during our design workshops, then they combined their thoughtful sketches into a masterpiece that showcases the beauty of multiculturalism. In the spring of 2017, they finally created and installed the mural at Colvin House in Edgewater.
Location: Lakeview-1025 W Belmont Ave, Chicago,IL 60657
Year(s): 2017
Participants: 15 [9th-12th graders]
Partner(s): Ward 44
Description: Inspired by the resplendent beauty of nature, this larger-than-life mural provides a splash of color and light alongside a sidewalk in Lakeview.
Location: Multiple
Year(s): 2017
Partner(s): iGrow, Earthheart Foundation, Logan Square Neighborhood Association, Peace Warriors of North Lawndale College Prep
Description: In 2016, Green Star Movement conceived of the Peace Panda Project, which would highlight the ways individuals and communities across Chicago promote tolerance, inclusivity, and non-violence, and then those efforts would be memorialized with permanent mini murals that installed in highly-visible areas in the city.
At the end of 2016, we fundraised for the Peace Panda Project and our generous supporters helped us surpass our goal.
Over the course of 2017, we solicited ideas from people and groups to develop themes for 8 Peace Pandas that were designed, created and then installed* in neighborhoods across the city.
Almost all 8 pandas now have homes around Chicago and represent the ideals of family, cooperation, sanctuary, contemplation, perseverance, hope, community, and compassion.
*Due to weather constraints, we will be installing the final two pandas in the spring of 2018.
Location: Woodlawn - 6154 S. Cottage Grove, Chicago IL 60637
Year(s): 2017
Partner(s): Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH)
Description: Our team completed a mirror-mosaic sculpture and tile-mosaic benches for the courtyard of an affordable housing complex in Woodlawn run by the Preservation of Affordable Housing Chicago. The designs for both the sculpture and the bench were inspired by traditional African imagery and patterns.
Location: Little Village - 2356 S Sawyer, Chicago IL 60623
Year(s): 2016, 2019
Participants: 30 [9th-12th grade students]
Partner(s): After School Matters
Description: Through a contest opened to nonprofits in the community in the fall of 2015, our After School Matters students selected Amor de Dios Church for their summer beautification project. The church is central to the community and serves its constituents not only as a place of worship but also as a community center and food pantry. So, the students designed the mural to reflect the culture and contributions of the church to the neighborhood residents by depicting a woman offering fresh food flanked by a mayan calendar-inspired sun, fruit tree, and flowers.
Location: Edgebrook - W Devon Ave and N Central Ave, Chicago IL 60646
Year(s): 2016
Participants: 15 [9th-12th grade students]
Partner(s): After School Matters
Description: Continuing our beautification of the Edgebrook neighborhood, we worked with students through After School Matters to enhance the community's main intersection with a mural that highlights Edgebrook's motto, "Gateway to the Forest."
