Wildish

Wildish was designed and created by Kim Beck at the Conestoga Recreation Center in West Philadelphia as part of the Room for Growth series of projects. The mural features a “wildish” assortment of plants from the surrounding neighborhood. Over the course of the project, students from the adjacent Mastery Charter School learned that many of these plants – often dismissed as weeds – have much deeper lineage as food, medicine and more.

As a part of the project, artist Kaitlin Pomerantz led her students in the development of a Field Guide of these plants. Beck’s design for the mural was guided and inspired by this Field Guide. The final mural incorporates the research and artwork of Mural Arts students, and serves as a cornerstone to a larger initiative to modernize the Conestoga Recreation Center.

The project is part of Room for Growth, a beautification and environmental interpretation project in West Philadelphia that highlights the connection between nature and the healing, transformative power of education. Based in the visioning process of youth, community, and educators the project was conceptualized to bring learning and growth to the neighborhood through connecting to and transforming the environment. Through interviewing, community events, and youth art education classes, artists have developed three booklets of community ideas, input, stories, and art. This material has acted as a primary source for five mural series, greening efforts, and an etched concrete playground and spray park at the Conestoga Recreation Center.