“Aurora In Bloom” is a new mural on the David L. Pierce Art and History Center in downtown Aurora.
Courtesy of the city of Aurora

Giant, cheerful flowers have popped up in downtown Aurora, with a new mural called “Aurora In Bloom.”

Seven artists completed the mural, which features local flowers. As part of the project, photographs of the flowers were digitally projected onto panels that were then painted.

The artists looked at flora and fauna around the city, including in their own gardens, for inspiration.

Caitlin Hazelton, who started the digital design, said the variety of flowers depicted is symbolic of “how people are what make a city great,” according to a city news release.

The panels are displayed next to a new five-unit sculpture garden created by Chicago-based artist Edra Soto. It is called “GRAFT.”

The panels and the sculptures are on the west side of the city-owned David L. Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer Place.

The mural artists are based in Aurora: Melissa Celaya, Catalina Diaz, Diana Gomez, Hazelton, Lisa Manning, Laura Reyes, and Juan Sepulveda.

Hazelton worked with Manning to plan the colors and techniques to transfer to a large scale.

“I love collaboration and community art. I never thought I would be part of such a huge mural for the city I live in and love. I am so grateful for this opportunity as an artist, a resident, and an educator,” Hazelton said.

“This group of artists was incredible. Everybody was totally dedicated and super hard-working. We did it (painted in about two-and-a-half weeks,” said Manning, the lead artist and owner of Nido Art Studio, in a news release.

It is the second mural the city has unveiled this year.

The first mural depicts five blues musicians in Mundy Park. It was done to mark the city’s historic connection to blues music through the 1937-38 recording sessions conducted by the Bluebird Label at the former Leland Hotel.

The projects were commissioned by Aurora Public Art, a city division that oversees the Pierce Center and more than 40 public art pieces, including wall murals, sculptures and utility-box murals. It also operates a gallery in the Pierce Center.

For more information about Aurora’s public art program, visit aurora-il.org/1953/About-Public-Arts.