The intersection of Lawrence and Ravenswood is one of the primary gateways into our community. It’s home to the Ravenswood Metra Station and is an entrance to the annual Ravenswood ArtWalk. This summer, Ravenswood Community Council, Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce, 47th Ward Alderman Matt Martin, and Special Service Area #31 are bringing a new mural to the intersection!
In May, the RCC issued a Request of Qualifications from local artists and received over 30 submissions. A selection committee (made up of local artists, small business owners, and residents) reviewed the submissions and selected 3 artists to develop full proposals. Each proposal includes an opportunity for local young people to participate in the installation of the mural.
Now, it’s time for you to vote on the design for the new mural! View the proposals below and cast your vote before midnight on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. All 47th Ward residents age 6 and up are eligible to vote. Not sure if you’re a ward resident? Check the map here.
Thanks to Special Service Area #31 for providing funding for this project! Inspiration for this project came from community feedback submitted to the GRCC and the 47th Ward.
View the Proposals
Proposal #1
Mac Blackout – Ravenswood Walls of Togetherness
“Below you’ll find mock ups for Ravenswood Walls of Togetherness, a celebration of unity and a monument to Ravenswood as a neighborhood of artists and makers with vibrant creativity and vision. The piece acts as a community gateway, enhancing connection between artisans and their residential neighbors. It is my goal to involve and mentor Ravenswood high school students during the installation process in order to create a sense of ownership, neighborhood pride, and empowerment for our future creative community.” – Mac Blackout
Click here to view Mac Blackout’s complete proposal.
Proposal #2
Molly Z – Vibrant Voyage
“Humanity has a deep connection to the rhythms and cycles in nature. The Ravenswood Lawrence Viaduct location is bustling with activity, a place that connects people and transportation to community, creativity, and flourishing growth. My design is meant to reflect this dynamic flow. Vibrant Voyage uses expansive, nature inspired forms that overlap and extend beyond, to convey a sense of energetic movement and thriving connectivity through space and time. The virbat color palletes for each side are different but share partner colors, and work together to evoke feelings of joy, hope and playfulness.” – Molly Z
Click here to view Molly Z’s complete proposal.
Proposal #3
Jen Farrell – Corridor Community
The history of the Ravenswood Corridor is the story of shared creative space for artisans, trades and residents. My letterpress print shop, Starshaped Press, carries on this tradition, using tools and technology (including type and ornament) that were designed and produced in Chicago, some in the Ravenswood area. These materials are the building blocks of my design, Corridor Community. The text on the south wall, ‘All Types Are Welcome Here’, references both the typographic history of the neighborhood and the people invited to inhabit its spaces now. Trading my usual ink and paper for paint and cement, I’m incorporating the modular, Tetris-like style of letterpress printing to create representations of commercial and residential buildings that populate the area. Both trains that connect Ravenswood to the rest of the city are present, as well as the community gardens that burst with life along the Metra tracks. I hope to creatively showcase the adaptability of the neighborhood’s physical spaces, and how they provide stability for the corridor’s residents.” Jen Farrell
Click here to view Jen Farrell’s complete proposal.
Online voting is open from July 1 through July 10. The winner will be announced on July 12. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for the latest project updates.
The Lawrence Ave Viaduct Mural Project is sponsored by:
