Two local artists have unveiled a new urban mural in downtown College Park, celebrating Maryland’s biodiversity and environmental conservation efforts at the intersection of Baltimore Avenue and Knox Road.
Painted over the course of a month by Hyattsville-based artists Cory Stowers and Jason Philp, the mural features colorful depictions of native Maryland wildlife on an upper-story facade a short walk from the University of Maryland.
In announcing the work, the College Park City-University Partnership described it as “an ode to the contributions made by the city and university, toward protecting our environment.”
A blog on the partnership’s website chronicles the mural’s development atop a Nando’s restaurant on southbound side of the Baltimore Avenue corridor.
Among the species most prominently displayed: A Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly, Maryland’s now-seriously imperiled official insect, resting on a Black-eyed Susan as a way of drawing attention to its role as a pollinator. It also depicts a local species of terrapin.
The project, completed with support from the city of College Park as well as Prince George’s County, also seeks to promote the downtown district’s status as an emerging destination for art and culture.
