By Caron Schwartz
If you’re on the hunt for St. Petersburg’s SHINE murals don’t limit yourself to those in and around the Grand Central Distract. There’s treasure to be found on 31st St. S, illuminating the St. Petersburg City Theatre.
When looking for wall candidates for the 2020 SHINE festival of murals, St. Petersburg Arts Alliance Executive Director John Collins put out the word to the community, and the City Theatre stepped up to the plate.
“We’ve got tons of walls,” said theatre volunteer and former board president Lisa Marone, “and a very active youth program.” So local artists Alyssa Marie and Braden Everly put their heads together (not a stretch — they’re married) and came up with a “paint by numbers” approach, which would allow artists of all ages to participate in the project.
The result is a wall of sunflowers held aloft by racially diverse hands that’s clearly visible from the street. Around the corner there’s a quote by John Lennon: “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one,” along with a wall of signatures.
The mural is part of Marie and Everly’s Happy Mural Project, an effort to spread happiness through community involvement and art. “We just want to see the world smile!” they say. Organizations or individuals interested in creating a mural can contact them at thehappymuralproject.com.
Featured Image: St. Petersburg Arts Alliance Executive Director John Collins orchestrates the St. Petersburg City Theatre’s SHINE mural ribbon-cutting on Nov. 7.