Painting the 112-foot “Save Our Salmon Mural”

The goal of this mural is to raise awareness for salmon sustainability in Juanita Creek and other North Lake Washington creeks.

This is the initial sketch of the project!

The idea for the SPUD mural all started in October 2021. I was one of 28 teens selected from across the country to attend the First Tee Innovators Forum in San Jose, which was a weekend-long leadership summit challenging teens to develop an innovative community service project to bring back to our communities. I had the idea to create a public art project to raise awareness for salmon - and the idea for the SPUD mural was born.

Follow @salmonmural on social media for updates related to the project.

The wall at SPUD is over 112-feet-long! I’ll be partnering with the Seattle-based nonprofit Urban ArtWorks to host a Community Paint Day in Spring 2022 to help paint the design onto the wall. Stay tuned for more info.

The mural will specifically feature Kokanee salmon, which turn the classic green and red before spawning. Kokanee are a type of landlocked sockeye that never make the trip out to the ocean.

SPUD Fish & Chips is across from Juanita Beach Park and next to Juanita Creek, and SPUD is an iconic landmark that’s been serving seafood in the same corner since 1969.

SPUD Fish & Chips

I’m also partnering with the University of Washington’s North Lake Washington SalmonWatchers program for this mural. SalmonWatchers is working to build egg boxes and remote site incubators in local streams, including Juanita Creek - with the goal to research, revive, and restore local salmon. I am partnering with SalmonWatchers to write a plaque about salmon, Juanita Creek, and how to be a good steward supporting healthy streams, which will be installed in one corner of the mural.

You can learn more about Juanita Creek by reading the informational signs at Juanita Beach Park, across the street from SPUD. You can hike back in the trails to the creek - and maybe even catch a glimpse of fish!

And while you’re at SPUD Fish & Chips, stop inside and check out prints of my “Sea King” turtle and “Sailboat Diptych” paintings hanging up inside the restaurant!

I’m so excited to bring this mural to life, and I can’t wait to share updates as this project evolves. Check back on this page for updates, or sign up for my newsletter in the “About” section of my website. Thanks for your interest in this project!