ATHENS, Ohio — The first street mural in the city of Athens, titled “The Migration” and featuring salmon swimming in a river, was the culmination of a creative process that involved 3,000 city voters prior to its unveiling on Independence Day.
The project brought together a dedicated muralist studying studio art and animation at Ohio University, and an equally committed local group –– the city’s Pedestrian Accessibility and Bicycle Task Force –– aiming to slow down traffic a bit at a busy spot on East State Street.
Located at the intersection of Watt Street and East State, “The Migration” was officially unveiled the morning of July 4 with a ribbon cutting ceremony and proclamation from Athens Mayor Steve Patterson.
Wren Denny, the artist, is from Lancaster, Ohio and chose the words “Wherever You Go, There You Are” to place beside her salmon. It’s a teaching from Chinese philosopher Confucius that emphasizes being mindful and present in the moment.
“It means that wherever you go, you carry the same struggles and joys with you, so in that way you’re the same person wherever you are,” Denny said. She spoke of her freshman year at OU as a time of many joys and struggles.
Stephanie Hunter, a member of the Pedestrian Accessibility and Bicycle Task Force, said the mural idea came in fall, 2024 after discussions with city engineer Saleh Eldabaja. A traffic “calming,” or slow-down mechanism, was needed at East State and Watt streets, where East widens to about 30 feet near a curb. A “bump out,” which is a barricade constructed to narrow the street, was placed beside the crosswalk.
The street mural helps slow traffic down, while making pedestrians more visible when they get ready to cross the street, Hunter said.
On the other side is the Village Bakery and Café, which served light refreshments following the event.
Rob Delach, another task force member and an avid bicyclist, said “The Migration” –– with colors including red, white and blue, which made for an appropriate July 4 unveiling –– has already helped slow traffic down to 25 mph or less, the posted speed limit. Prior to the bump out, traffic at East State and Watt was nearing 30 mph. That may not seem like much, but the extra speed can be dangerous, Hunter said.
The city provided a small micro-grant to buy the paint for Denny to use, and she and Delach both hope it’s the first of many street murals in Athens.
Delach marveled at the response the city received to the online poll for voting amongst three mural possibilities, with about 3,000 votes cast. The other two murals featured cracks in pavement and rocks, and another had a sunny theme.
“It’s probably the biggest online response the city has gotten on any issue, ever,” Delach said.
Denny said she learned of the city’s mural contest over spring break when she “had nothing better to do.” She drew and colored “The Migration” in small form, first, before bringing it to a full mural’s size over the course of a week.
Danny is on pace to graduate in 2027 with her double major. She was joined for the unveiling by her parents, Joel and Tricia Denny, along with several other family members.
Denny said during the ceremony that “one of the things that made me fall in love with Athens is the commitment to the arts and all the murals.”
The proclamation signed by Patterson commended “all those involved in bringing this creative and safety-enhancing project to life.”
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story used an incorrect last name for Hunter. We regret the error.
