It was such an honor to work with Bayview - a nonprofit dedicated to providing affordable housing and services for low-income residents - to create this mural. We started working with the Bayview residents in May with several weeks of targeted workshops to understand what “home” means to this community. We gathered ideas from folks across the spectrum - from elementary school kids to teens to elderly seniors - before designing a concept and painting it with over 120 residents in August and installing in September.

The nest represents the concept of "home" and what home means to those at Bayview. While home means different things to different people, after talking with residents, the overwhelming themes of nurturing growth, raising families, supporting each other in community, and having a place to call one's own came to light. The nest represents all these themes and also symbolizes hope for the future as we see a bird take flight into the unknown. The community resilience needed to build a home in the changing surrounding Madison landscape is reflected in the strength of the lone tree on which the nest is held. It is surrounded by layered line figures of people tending to a garden to emphasize the collective kindness, and care cultivated by the community of Bayview.  This imagery is depicted in a mosaic style to reflect different cultures and experiences coming together to form a larger, beautiful community that holds space to become a unique whole. 

Read more about the process and learn about Bayview’s incredible mission here.