Underpass Mural

This project was part of an Xcel Day of Service Project and the grassroots mural project: Underpass Mural Project. The artist, Joe Zeigler, donated his time and design to make this porject happen. 45 Volunteers from Xcel Energy donated their Saturday morning to paint the design.

Artist comments on the design:

The North wall begins (left to right) with a small family of blue butterflies. Though the Butterfly Pavilion began in Westminster (and is moving to Broomfield), this landmark has served as a beautiful southwesterly mainstay for residents in the North Denver Metro area for decades, which is representative of the collaborative inter-city community our citizens have fostered throughout the years. They fly just south of the water towers perched on the hill near Conifer Road. I didn't want to include any roads in the design, so I rooted two large conifer trees in that section instead. Winding its way into the Thornton Rose on the west side of the concept, another trail bends past a depiction of "Peace Wall," which felt like a fitting inclusion considering how strongly the City appreciates the arts from artists of all ages. Just to the right of the Rose is a couple enjoying the classic, vibrant sunset on East Lake. Past more iconic farmland, the design is bookended by Thorncreek Golf Course in the Northwest.

I didn't necessarily set out to prioritize golf in the design, though these courses accurately orient viewers with Todd Creek in the Northeast and Thorncreek in the Northwest parts of town. The celebration of the verdant nature of these anchors, and Thornton's love for outdoor activity as a whole, is primarily represented here. Exact colors can be amended to suit the scope of the project, and detail aspects of the design (e.g., walkers/cyclists on the paths, more public art on the "map", less golf course) can also be amended by request to better represent Thornton.