Meet The Artists of Washington Park

When you walk into the Urban Ecology Center at Washington Park, you’re greeted by color, movement, and story. The walls themselves have come alive.

Two local artists, Tia Richardson and Mi Salgado, helped transform the space into a celebration of connection — to nature, to community, and to one another. Through collaboration with staff, neighbors, and visitors, they created murals that reflect the heart of Washington Park: a place where creativity and ecology intertwine, and where every person and creature has a role in the larger story of life.

Below, the artists share their inspiration, process, and what they hope visitors feel when they step into this vibrant space.

Tia Richardson

What inspired this composition and the elements within it?

I met with staff during a two-hour visioning session to help them express what they feel is important to them about the Washington Park branch UEC, and specifically what about the nature of the park they care about. That way I got to hear and appreciate a fuller perspective, insights and enthusiasm they shared, with little tidbits captured in the drawing and details. Part of the workshop included doing group sketches that gave me actual images I could use to draw inspiration from and use to a degree in the final design. 

How did you approach creating something for a shared public space, especially one so rooted in nature and community like the UEC?

The workshop is a highly interactive, collaborative way for me as an artist to gather different perspectives on a topic that matters to a community in an inclusive way. It's not something that happens everyday, where people are invited to participate in an inclusive process of sharing ideas about something that matters to them, especially when there may be challenging things or difficult issues to talk about. No matter what the spaces I've been in, my experience with this approach has been that people express feelings of appreciation, like they are a part of something bigger, and that they are making a difference in their community.

What do you hope people feel or think about when they see this mural?

One of the things I hope people see is that people ARE making a difference in their community. Another is unity, and common respect - for life on land, in water, and among us as human beings. All of nature is interconnected and our lives are an integral part to the collective health and well-being on the planet. Our diversity is a strength, but we need to learn how to respect it and care for it. Caring for nature helps us understand how we are all connected as parts of a greater whole. I hope people can appreciate the wonderful work the Urban Ecology Center does and the important role it plays in our community to connect us to each other and nature.

See more pictures of Tia's mural here

Mi Salgado 

What inspired this composition and the elements within it?

The mural draws inspiration from the native plants and animals of the region, including birds that migrate here during the spring and summer months. The characters in the mural design are meant to reflect the community, and it’s really a tribute to everyone who’s part of Urban Ecology. In addition to drawing inspiration from native elements, I considered the layout of the walls themselves. I wanted to incorporate the bird house into the design, and that idea came up in conversations with the community, so it became a key part of the vision.  

 How did you approach creating something for a shared public space, especially one so rooted in nature and community like the UEC? 

The mural came together with help from the community and staff at Urban Ecology Center.  During the opening of the new center, I chatted with people to hear what they wanted to see in the artwork. I collected input and had wonderful conversations with adults, teens and little ones. It was a beautiful experience to hear what the community envisioned for the walls. From those conversations, I put together a list of the most requested elements and used that as the base concept for the design. 

What do you hope people feel or think about when they see this mural?

I hope people feel a sense of connection to nature and  with the community when they see the mural. Maybe also giving the community a feeling of pride, especially for those who helped shape the design with their great ideas. In other ways I hope it makes the visitors feel like this is a safe, welcoming place to belong. All while sparking curiosity to explore and appreciate what can be found at Urban Ecology Center, Washington Park and surrounding areas.