Philadelphia's 1st permanent voting-themed mural is also the artist's 1st: "It's been a wonderful experience"
Flowers and multiple generations of women brighten the side of a rowhome building in West Philadelphia in the city's first permanent mural themed around voting.
"Philly Votes: Legacy in Bloom" is also the first mural done by the locally based lead artist, Tai Corrienté Baucom.
The Moore College of Art and Design alumna joined CBS Philadelphia on Tuesday morning to share more about her process and the themes at work in the mural.
"My inspiration was ancestry, just thinking about my own lineage and other people's lineages. And also just thinking about passing the torch to the next generation. What kind of future is the generation ahead of us going to have?" Baucom told anchors Jim Donovan and Janelle Burrell.
The flowers depicted are forget-me-nots "for legacy" irises "for remembrance" and dandelions that represent hope.
"This is amazing," Baucom said. "The community has been very supportive, the space that we're painting on has been very supportive and engaging. It's been a wonderful experience."
A dedication is set for Tuesday morning with Mayor Cherelle Parker, Sen. Bob Casey, several members of City Council, Streets Department founder Conrad Benner and Val Gay, the city's chief culture officer.
The nonprofit Show Up Strong, which aims at getting young people to vote, will dedicate the mural along with Mural Arts.
Check out some more close-ups of the mural over on the Mural Arts Philadelphia, Streets Department's and Tai's Instagram pages.
"I want people to take away the feeling of love. ... I want people to feel my art and I want them to get my message," Baucom said.
