New Highland mural celebrates sun
Highland is the latest Salem neighborhood to get a splash of color.
With the help of about 50 volunteers, artist Michelle Reed led the painting of a street mural at the intersection of Northeast Columbia and Hazel streets over the weekend. The blue and orange design has a sun theme and evokes the natural world.
“Michelle wanted to create an image that was simple to digest though slightly abstract and open to interpretation. She wanted this mural to be enjoyed by absolutely everyone who walks by, and was glad to create memories with all of the volunteers who showed up to lend a hand, big and small!” an artist statement about the project read.
Highland is the second Salem neighborhood to add a street mural since the city council approved a program earlier this year. The first project, in the Grant neighborhood, featured a pink and blue floral design and was painted over Fourth of July weekend.
The Highland mural is part of a larger effort sponsored by Travel Salem to add more street murals in city neighborhoods over the coming year. Seven neighborhood associations have signed up to participate, with each receiving a $1,000 grant from the tourism nonprofit. Other neighborhood associations planning murals through the program include Northgate, Faye Wright, West Salem and South Central.
Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
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Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers education, economic development and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for over a decade and is a past president of Oregon's Society of Professional Journalists chapter. Outside of work, you can often find her gardening or with her nose buried in a book.
