Paint the Park: Washington Irving Park Gazebo Mural

Paint the Park was a community mural project in Erie’s Washington Irving Park. Neighbors worked together to turn the concrete floor beneath the West 24th Street gazebo into a bold, colorful kaleidoscope design. The project was led by artist Brad Ford, presented by the SSJ Neighborhood Network (SSJNN), and funded through an SSJNN grant. It reclaimed a surface that had been marked by negative graffiti and made it a shared work of art the neighborhood owns.

Ford designed the abstract kaleidoscope pattern and mapped it onto the gazebo floor ahead of time, so anyone could pick up a brush and contribute. On mural day, residents of all ages came out to paint, staying for a few minutes or the whole day. Brushes, paint, and guidance were provided free of charge. Artist consultant Sarah Howard and volunteers Mike Trott, Theresa Gamble, Margo Wolfe, and Sabrina Ford helped bring the design to life.

The finished mural gives the park a bright new gathering place. Every brushstroke came from the people who live there, and the work stands as a lasting sign of their pride in the space