Drawing inspiration from the surrounding waterway, the natural habitat, and neighborhood input, the mural on the pump station building in Alice Carter Place Park adds a splash of color to Meridian-Kessler while maintaining a culture of family, community, and appreciation of the surrounding nature.

The artist, ess mckee, incorporated elements from her original manhole cover piece Water is Life from the 2019 Dig Indy art project. The water and fish were adapted for the mural location, while elements like the bridge and the blue heron were pulled directly from the natural surroundings. After reviewing community survey answers, ess wanted to include suggestions of shapes and colors such as triangular trees, rounded edges, and circular bubbles. The hope is that this mural will serve as a constant reminder of the beauty of nature, the importance of our waterways. and the collective power of community.

Finally, to pay homage to Alice Carter and the park in which the mural resides, a bench has been placed on the northern side of the mural.

ess mckee is an Indianapolis-based mixed media artist. She studied art and Industry and Technology at Ball State University and builds her aesthetic from street art and hip hop culture.  Ess’ personal expression manifests in the form of typographic prose, abstract paintings, photographic narration, handcrafted objects, character illustrations, and digital imagery. She is currently a Teaching Artist with ReGeneration Indy and a high school track and field coach, and owns a graphic design business, INAZ Dezign LLC.