Yes indeed, I do have the word “whimsy” in my blog title so, settle in and be prepared to see a slew of whimsical images from a mural at a local children’s playground. I’ve been promising fellow blogger Jeanine, lover of gnomes and admirer of murals, a peek at our local murals, that is … if I could find some. Jeanine routinely wows her followers with photos of murals taken in and around Berlin, Germany. After oohing and aahing at those large and creative murals, some as tall as a skyscraper, I decided to go on my own quest – so, could I score some photos of murals as promised? Well, I know there are some great artistic endeavors on office buildings in Downtown Detroit, but I preferred to visit a local venue if possible.
So, once the paint dried on a multiple-mural artistic endeavor in Trenton which was created to celebrate that city’s official designation in 2021 as a “Pure Michigan Trail Town” I headed to that venue to check it out. The artwork consists of multiple sides with murals featuring images of Summer activities promoting a healthy lifestyle like hiking, biking and kayaking, plus a nod to the flora and fauna found at beautiful Elizabeth Park.
The murals were designed by TreeTown Murals, a company that specializes in creating painted and mosaic murals, but the painting was done by volunteers with guidance from TreeTown.
Here is a story from The News Herald showing the area and the creation of the murals – just click here.
But unfortunately, I would only glimpse the completed artwork from one angle as I waited at the stoplight. The mural is at West Jefferson Avenue and King Road, beneath a train bridge, at a busy intersection in the industrial part of Trenton, with nowhere to park there or nearby, so I had to abandon that idea. I’ll wander back there eventually for another attempt unless I have to park in the boonies which I’m not in favor of. In the meantime, the same local newspaper featured some of the finished murals which you can view by clicking here.
MacArthur Park provided me with fodder for a blog post.
Then, quite by accident, I learned about MacArthur Park, also in Trenton, which features a pollinator garden of 300 plants, plus a children’s playground with the backdrop of a whimsical mural which stretches the width of that park.
You won’t find any wildlife here, unless you spot a Robin tugging at a worm and giving you a wary look, lest you try to steal it for yourself. But I guarantee, you will end up with a smile on your face.
I learned about this small park, that is tucked away in a neighborhood just off busy Trenton Road, when I first visited the Emily Frank Gardens at the Trenton Cultural Center on June 18th. After chattin’ it up with a few of “The Garden Angels” (the moniker they have chosen for the hands-on volunteers at this venue), it was suggested I return in mid-July when the Gardens were at peak. Another suggestion was that I should visit MacArthur Park, just a stone’s throw away from the Cultural Center, to check out their efforts with the beautiful blooms in the pollinator garden.
So I returned to both venues on July 31st. I enjoyed walking through the pollinator garden, a portion which you can see in the below pics. [There will be a slideshow of all the mural images later in this post.]
But I was awestruck with the back of the park where these fun pictures brought that wall to life. Because it was impossible to encompass the entire mural in one shot without ending up with minuscule images, I took individual shots instead which you will see in the slideshow.
Also, I did a little research on how and when this mural came to be. Surprisingly, the mural was not painted by a professional artist; instead the City of Trenton had two painting sessions in 2021 when ANYONE was invited to step up, grab a paintbrush and participate in creating this interactive mural. So, how cool is that? I think they did an excellent job.
I hope this mural, including two gnomes and their gnome home, fulfills my “assignment” of finding and sharing a mural. Yes Jeanine, I know I still have to find a Peacock and photograph it, my second “assignment” – perhaps I should put “Peacock” on my “Birdie Bucket List” … hmm.
And, by the way, you’ll recognize that rabbit with the crown of flowers from my Easter post. Enjoy!
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
These are fun to see!
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I thought so too! Glad you liked the mural pics Anne!
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Very interesting you sharing mural arts. Amazing & funny art. I like. Beautiful Easter flower rabbit with crown art.
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Glad you liked the murals Raj! I thought it would be fun to put them into a post. I really liked that Ms. Rabbit too!
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You are most welcome, Linda!
Really like me too.
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This is so cute. The painting are so lovely – I enjoyed them very much. Someone put in a lot of time and effort.
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Glad you liked them Peggy. I thought they were unique and cute and interesting that it was not professionals doing the artwork which made it more fun.
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I love the sunflowers section of the mural! 🌻🌻🌻
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The sunflower painter has more patience for this sort of thing than I’ll ever have. They must’ve had a ladder in their back pocket too. The mural is nice but my choice is the multi-level birdhouse in the garden. The colors seem to be deliberately chosen to reflect its natural surroundings.
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I’m surprised they got that whole mural done in two sessions. The sunflowers look like they were painstaking to do and were high up on the wall, so you’re probably right that they needed a ladder. I liked the birdhouse too Dave – those muted colors fit right in with the perennials. There were three more birdhouses in a row in the garden in the first picture below the header image. They were just single birdhouses and skinny but the same muted colors and blend right into the landscaping.
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Me too Barbara! I thought it was so clever to do that and I’m amazed they got al that painting done with no artist and in two sessions. The wall is a city block wide.
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Fun! I liked the hummingbirds and the rabbit with the frilly hat best.
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Glad you liked it Anne! I liked the hummingbirds too, so decided to do the closeups of them. You know I like that rabbit with the hat best too so that’s why I put it into my Easter post.
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Fun walk, Linda! I like the frog in the neck tie. His eyes grinning with happiness. I’m curious to what is the box structure in front of the rainbow?
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Glad you liked this walk TD – I thought I’d put a little frivolity into a blog post for a smile. Those two frogs were cute -that one with the necktie does have a cute grin on his face, thinking about the fly nearby. 🙂 I’m guessing that maybe the garden volunteers keep their tools in here so they don’t have to lug them back and forth between the two venues. I thought maybe a hose reel keeper perhaps, but I didn’t see anywhere where they hook a hose up to water. It was cute though and fit in with the wall of colorful images!
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Loved the sunflowers!
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Me too Kate. Someone talented painted all those sunflowers and they looked realistic too!
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Those murals are awesome! I think that’s a great idea, I love seeing murals. We have a few downtown, I should take some photos of them.
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I thought it was a great idea too Susan. Plus the idea of all the volunteers tending to this garden, in addition to the other garden (plus their own garden) over the Summer months really was something.
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Very whimsical, Linda! I love that it was a community project.
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I thought so too Ruth and that they had volunteers come paint was awesome!
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Miss linda…………………………….how cool to have such a happy colorful mural near us in our Downriver area…………………I’m going to go and find MacArthur park
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I thought so too Ann Marie. I sent you a small map how to find it – I missed the street that you have to turn off Trenton Road the first time
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What a neat idea. Thanks for photographing and sharing this fun and unique place.
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Glad you liked it Rebecca. It was fun walking along and photographing all these many images here!
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You found some awesome murals! I love it that this post and the photos were inspired by another blogger. Can’t wait to see the peacock pictures. We have a small petting zoo near us (with peacocks). I could (electronically) smuggle some photos to you! 🙂
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Yes, Jeanine’s murals are awesome Laurie, all huge and colorful and inspired me to do this post. I’d like to return and try to photograph the mural at that intersection. There are multiple individual murals and it’s darkish under the train bridge, so it will be tricky. I may have to take you up on that peacock smuggling photo offer. 🙂 Then my second “assignment” will be complete. I think the only peacocks around here would be at the Detroit Zoo.
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What a great idea! Although I’m sure most of the volunteers had some artistic ability they did a great job! Love the rabbit!
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I thought so too Joni! I wonder if someone with some artistic ability drew an outline on the wall for others to paint? I know I could not draw any of those animals, maybe the snail? I loved the rabbit too – that crown of flowers, the makeup, but the facial expression too.
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What a wonderful idea! I adore the photos you chose to share of what you saw. The tiny details like the hummingbirds and the ladybugs add such a sweet touch to the whimsy! This post gives me hope for spring and summer!! YAY! 😍🥰😎
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I thought so too Shelley! And they made it look so easy too! I like the idea that they invited people to stop and pick up a paintbrush and just paint. Yes, it was a hot and sunny day when I visited. The flowers were blooming, bees were buzzing, butterflies fluttering – a perfect Summer day.
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Yay for a post so full of happiness!!! 😁😎😍
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We all need a smile now and then to get thru this thing was call “life”. Glad to provide one or two or three. Back at you! 😁 😎 😍
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😁😁😁
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Love it, Linda !
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It was fun to photograph Michael – bet it was fun to be part of that painting party too!
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These paintings are so cheerful and bright to look at!! The people who participated in the painting sessions did fantastic work and what a great way to get people involved in doing creative work for the community.
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I thought they were cheery too Esther. Imagine just inviting a group of people to come and pick up a paintbrush and paint – very creative and yes, a good sign of community effort. Plus the 300-plant garden maintained by the same group of retired volunteers that are at the larger gardens a mile or so down the road.
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I admire the artwork, which is far better than anything I could ever paint on a wall. Also, I admire the city’s optimism at opening the wall to anyone. In this day and age, that wouldn’t always go well.
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I liked the artwork too JP and I don’t know that I could even paint the simplest snail that was included in those slideshow images. Trenton does take a lot of pride in its City – you notice it as you drive around or walk around, with plenty of festivals for music, crafts or otherwise.
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That is such a lovely – and whimsical – little park. I was wondering if they had much trouble with people tagging the murals? I hope not. Those murals just make me smile.’
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I saw no graffiti at all when I was there last Summer Zazzy. That is not so in other parks though (our City included). I would hate to see someone deface this mural – you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy it.
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Why at a beautiful park Linda. They have some talented painters.
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I thought so too Diane – it was amazing to me they were not professionals who did the painting – just regular folks who stopped by and picked up a paintbrush and went to town – how fun!
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Thank you so much Linda for the shout out & the lovely pictures. What a difference some paint makes! I do like murals by non-professional artists. Sometimes they seem a bit more real & close to life. Also, I really like those little parks tugged away, that hardly anybody knows. Let’s give it up to gnomes on this wonderful public holiday — Is May 1st a holiday for you?
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You’re so welcome Jeanine – I’m glad you liked those pictures. I agree with you – the fact that regular people, not artists, just walked over, picked up a paintbrush and expressed themselves is what makes this mural so fun. No need to be fancy here, just be yourself and be creative and yes this park is really tucked away, down a side street, not in a big venue. I knew you’d like the gnomes, so had to feature them up top! The slideshow was the way to go since I took so many individual shots – I needed a panoramic lens. For me, the favorite was that crazy Bunny Lady that I had in my Easter post … something about her just makes me smile. No, I wish I had been off for May 1st – I should be, as a I work for a labor attorney. I just Googled and looks like it is a holiday for you. Hope you took some time for yourself and enjoyed it!
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The Bunny Lady is one of a kind! — I was lucky to go to the big book fair in Leipzig last weekend, so Monday off was an extra treat on top! It’s nice to take part in “normal” life again!
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I thought so too Jeanine – it has a mischievous look. I just Googled the Leipzig Book Fair … that sounds like a big event and they had a lot of visitors (274,000); you were lucky you had that extra day off to enjoy it. You had such limited time for so long, now all the extra free time must feel strange, but is certainly welcome!
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Such fun, colorful paintings!
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I wish I had that talent!
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Me too! The artistic gene skipped me.
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