THE MURAL WAS A PROJECT OF ENSBC.

A MURAL CELEBRATING BIRDS AND PICTURING THREE BIRDS THREATENED BY CLIMATE CHANGE AND HABITAT LOSS.

The ENSBC mural "Birds of Concern" was completed in September 20, 2021 on the east wall of Maya Papaya on the northwest corner of Green Bay Road and Central Street in Evanston!  ENSBC partnered with Evanston's Art Encounter to find the artist and fund the mural.

Our mural artist is Tyrue "Slang" Jones, a well-known muralist, formerly living in the Chicago area.

He has worked as an established graffiti artist, fine artist, graphic designer, and professional television animator.  His clients have included: Warner Bros. Animation Studios, Startoons, Animation Studios, Walt Disney Interative, General Mills, Universal Music, Def Jam, Interscope, Allstate, Leo Burnett and Viacom (MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon).

Our mural follows a tradition that began in New York City in 2014 and came to Chicago in 2016, called the Audubon Mural Project.

In this ENSBC project, art and science come together to highlight the beauty of birds that people in the ENSBC area are likely to see, particularly during spring and fall migration.  Ecology and ornithology merge with art. This project is in accord with Evanston’s Climate Action Resilience Plan (CARP).

In a contest among ENSBC members for the favorite bird of concern to recommend for the muralist to choose among, these five birds were the top vote-getters:

Red-headed woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Blackburnian Warbler

American Kestrel

Black-crowned Night Heron

In the artist's final rendering, the Red-headed woodpecker, Blackburnian Warbler and American Kestrel are pictured.

ENSBC was awarded a $1000 grant by the Evanston Arts Council, to match the contribution from ENSBC. Additional support has come from the Central Street business community.