(WSB photo)

By Aspen Anderson
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

An often-tagged wall on the West Seattle waterfront may be painted with a nearly 200-foot-long mural.

West Seattle resident David Stockert is leading an effort to transform the wall along the north shore of Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook Park on Beach Drive into a community mural, working with local artist Nalisha Estrellas.

Stockert believes a mural could deter vandalism, reducing the need for repeated cleanups by Seattle Parks and Recreation. “I walk my dog along there every day,” Stockert said. “It’s such a beautiful little pocket park, and then I look at that wall that gets tagged — it’s pretty ugly … But murals seem to get left alone.”

(Rough concept by artist Nalisha Estrellas)

Estrellas, known for her murals across the city, plans to involve the community in the project through a paint-by-numbers approach. She has already created a rough concept (image above) for the mural, featuring a nautical theme with orcas and Puget Sound, as showcased on project flyers. Estrellas also plans to incorporate additional wildlife into the final design.

“Let’s get the whole neighborhood involved – everyone can have some ownership over it,” Estrellas said. “They can feel more connected to it, and that way we are actually elevating the community.”

Estrellas works with Urban Artworks, a nonprofit that engages youth, artists and communities in creating public art.

“A lot of those individuals who do graffiti just don’t have an outlet,” Estrellas said. “If they have any interest in working with Urban Artworks … it’s the perfect thing because obviously they are creative, obviously they have something to say … Urban Artworks brings people who are interested in painting and in art to an organization that can give them that outlet.”

The proposed mural would span 189 feet along the concrete wall overlooking Puget Sound. Stockert has submitted the proposal to Seattle Parks and Recreation and expects a decision later this month. If approved, painting is slated to begin in early May.

To fund the project, Stockert launched a GoFundMe campaign with a goal of $10,000 to cover materials and Estrellas’ fees, and is about a quarter of the way there.

“It’s been fun to get to know neighbors and work on a project people are excited about,” Stockert said. “It makes me feel really good.”

(WSB photo)

If you are interested in participating in the painting process, you can reach out to Stockert via email at dstockert@theideamachine.biz for more information.