Earlier this week, MoodyOnTheMarket.com told you about the completion of another ‘summer mural’ on the stairs in Lake Bluff Park, going down to Whirlpool Field and Silver Beach. St. Joseph Today is responsible for the project, with support from the Schalon Foundation.
Of course, nothing is that simple. There’s a new mural every year—and a lot of effort goes into it. Here’s the ‘backstory’, courtesy of St. Joe Today:
St. Joe Today started the mural project in 2018, the week leading up to Chalk the Block, with a permanent mural on the back of the Welcome Center building and continued in 2019 with a temporary mural on the bluff stairs, both pieces commissioned and painted by Texas based artist Anat Ronen.
Previous Bluff Stair Murals
2019 & 2021 – Artist: Anat Ronen (Texas)
2022 – Artist: Nate Baranowski (Indiana)
2023 – Artists: Nate Baranowski (Indiana) and Chris Carlson (Colorado)
2024 & 2025 – Artist: Kim Wood (Michigan)
Additional SJT Murals
2018 – Artist: Anat Ronen (Texas); This mural can be found on the back of the St. Joe Today building, located in the 300 block of State Street.
2019 – Artist: Shawn McCann (Minnesota); This mural can be found on the back of the Holt Bosse building, located in the 100 block of State Street.
2021 – Artist: Kumpa Tawornprom; This mural can be found on the side of the Silver Harbor Brewing Co. building in downtown St. Joseph.
2022 – Artist: Jeff Pilkinton (Florida); This mural can be found in the alley behind Cornerstone Alliance in Benton Harbor.
Paul Knapp, executive director of St. Joe Today, said this time around they partnered with St. Joseph based artist Kim Wood. ”
We’re thrilled to unveil the latest addition to our mural project – a vibrant piece that evokes the beauty of a St. Joe sunset reflecting on the waves, complete with a distinct 3D paddleboard design. Our heartfelt thanks go to the Schalon Foundation; their generous support is instrumental in bringing these temporary murals to the bluff stairs and fostering a more colorful community experience.”
Wood said the design was inspired by things that reflect St. Joe,
“I picked out some of the things that I really love about St. Joe. We all love the water, and I love paddleboarding, but even if you don’t paddleboard, you can pretend that you do with it being part of the mural this year!”
The newly installed mural provides viewers with an interactive photo op to help capture a perfect St. Joe summer memory. St. Joe Today plans to continue the mural project in the future.
Not surprisingly, technology plays a role in the creation of the mural in 2025
photos courtesy of St. Joe Today
