Life Flows Here
This mural, located on the border between the Christian Park and Twin Aire neighborhoods, enlivens what was previously a dark and littered stretch of English Avenue that also served as part of the Pleasant Run Greenway. It was an unpleasant and hazardous experience to drive or ride though. The Christian Park Neighborhood Association decided to beautify this underpass with the assistance of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, and KIB selected the artist/designer Kristopher May to provide the design and lead the project.
Life Flows Here is a depiction of the community, environment, and atmosphere of the adjoining neighborhoods. As a uniting feature, the blue hues flow in a ribbon through both sides, symbolizing the importance of Pleasant Run Creek to both areas. Daylight colors adorn the background of the Christian Park (north) side, while dusk hues fill the background of the Twin Aire (south) side. The south side also showcases the view of the Indianapolis skyline as it would be seen looking west along English Avenue, towards Twin Aire. Activities important to both areas are depicted in the silhouettes, and iconic structures (such as the Christian Park Family Center and the Florence Fay School building in Twin Aire) are prominent on their respective sides.
Kristopher (Kris) May is a landscape architect, artist, and designer. He has worked with numerous non-profit and for-profit organizations on marketing, website, and identity design projects. He has also illustrated several children’s books, several of which were designed to help Indiana youth navigate the legal system. At the time he created this mural he was employed by a landscape design/urban design/urban planning firm on Indianapolis’ northeast side, and served as vice-president of the Indiana Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Kris is also an avid cyclist who raises money through the Tour de Trees for the TREE Fund, a national organization that promotes and advocates for science-based tree care and urban forestry. Kris lives with his husband and two children in the Fountain Square neighborhood, where he is an active community volunteer.
