In celebration of the upcoming opening of the Stone Barn Nature Center, the installation of a mosaic mural is planned for the area adjacent to the barn at Deukmejian Wilderness Park. According to the Glendale Parks & Open Space Foundation, which is overseeing the project, the barn, which will house the nature education center, will serve as a “portal into the park and convey the rich history of the area.”

Zoe Mosaics was commissioned by Glendale Parks & Open Space Foundation to design the mural, entitled “The Breath of a Deukmejian Day.” Hannah Maximova, a frequent visitor to the park, is the artist who will be working on the mural.

“The biodiversity here is so exciting,” Maximova stated. “The more I’ve learned, the more impressed I am by what an extraordinary resource we have in this untouched wilderness. It’s a gift that our city has invested in preserving and sharing the natural world of this wonderfully diverse region. The nature center and its mosaic will add a moving entrance to this precious area.”        

The mural will depict numerous flora and fauna that call Deukmejian Wilderness Park home. The artwork will be anchored by a large manzanita tree and includes natives such as the wrentit bird, which is iconic in this chaparral biome. Additionally, kit fox, mountain lion, mule deer, Anna’s hummingbird and brush rabbits appear, among others.

The public has the opportunity to sponsor a tile that will be a permanent part of the mosaic. Contributions to the project will support the vast reach of Glendale Parks and Open Space’s programming which supports park projects, recreation programs, and trails and open space activities that enrich the community.

To get more information about sponsoring a tile, visit https://tinyurl.com/452v47dr.

No firm dates for completion for the nature center and mural have been set, but a grand opening is tentatively scheduled for later this year.

Photo provided by Glendale Parks & Open Space Foundation