Pictured is a concept of the mural local artist Molly Strong will paint on the Spring Street parking garage in Jamestown. Submitted photo

Spring may have come and gone, but a downtown mural project is about to bloom.

Ellen Shadle, principal planner for the city, and Molly Strong, the local artist who will design and install the city’s next mural, presented an update of the project to members of the Jamestown City Council.

The city received a $5,000 Community Arts program grant from Arts Services Inc. to cover the costs of placing a mural on the Spring Street parking garage as part of a beautification project.

The mural will be displayed along an existing mural featuring Lucille Ball.

“Since our award of the grant in January, and the approval in March, we conducted an application process and a search for an artist,” Shadle said. “I’m happy to say that we have found our artist and that is Miss Molly Strong.”

While the city had previously explored the possibility of including the interior of the stairwell as part of the mural project, Shadle said it is unlikely at this stage.

“The stairwell interior is probably not going to be included in this phase of the beautification,” she said. “We don’t have the resources to clean the surfaces sufficiently for that to be done.”

Shadle hopes the beautification of the stairwell will be included in a future phase of the garage.

Shadle also introduced Strong to the City Council and gave her the opportunity to present her thoughts on the mural.

“I’m looking forward to this opportunity,” Strong said. “I’ll be painting the three walls right outside this window.”

Strong’s mural design is floral themed and was designed to reflect the characteristics of Jamestown.

“I chose to paint a floral themed mural as it will complement the atmosphere of our downtown,” she said. “The larger-than-life flowers, painted in a welcoming color palette, align with our blooming community as we share the same qualities of uniqueness, beauty, growth and strength.”

Since her original concept submission, Strong said she has changed certain aspects of the design.

“Over time, I changed it to a more realistic approach, with more lines and more skill involved,” said Strong, who noted that she will start painting the mural as soon as possible.