(La Porte, IN) -  The Maple City may soon become Mural City.  Some creative La Porteans are teaming up to turn bare brick walls and alleyways into places of beauty.  The first in a series of urban murals was painted on the back of T-Berry’s Diner last week. It’s a collection of giant flowers and an inspirational quote painted by about six local amateur and professional artists.

 

April Kelly, owner of GoAerial Fitness, is spearheading the effort. "Our vision is that they're interactive art pieces," she says, "so that they inspire you to be in the city of La Porte and actually stop your car and get out to check out this art."  Kelly says she has already seen people stopping on Jackson Street to take pictures in front of the giant flower petals.

 

Kelly is also part of La Porte’s Main Street Association, which strives to promote the downtown. She says they considered seeking grants to fund the project, but the process was too slow.  So it’s turned into a grassroots DIY.  "We want this to be a community-based project. We don't want to say there's a charge for this artwork to go on your buildng," says Kelly. "I would rather buy the paint myself and show people we can do it.  We don't have to sit around and talk about it; we can get some friends, buy some paint, and do it."

 

And that's just what they've done.  Kelly has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for materials.  The most expensive items, she says is the protective clearcoat, which runs about $100 per gallon.  So far, they have raised several hundred dollars.

 

Kelly emphasizes that her group is getting full permission from the city and property owners, who are lining up to have their buildings decorated.  Three more murals are already in the works.  One of them, at an undisclosed location, is rumored to be quite large.