Dandelion Wishes

Dandelion Wishes was completed in July 2022 at the start of the Stowe Bike Path, as part of the Lamoille Art & Justice Project. This project was close to 2 years in the planning. With the help of several community members, teens from The Current Art Center’s Summer Mural Camp, Middlebury College MuseumWorks interns, and our friend and most trusted artist assistant, Will Gebhard, we painted the mural in 14 days, all the while navigating rain and a heatwave.

The mural is an image of a dandelion puff ball. In the center are two young Black children, gazing down upon a bumblebee and hummingbird. A dragonfly and snake make up the stem of the Dandelion, with its roots emerging from the base with butterflies leading at its summit. The abstract background is full of geometric shapes and patterns to convey a sense of play and freedom. The roots of the dandelion extend from the base and 3 butterflies explode from the top of the composition, flying into the unknown.

The entire piece is a dreamlike wonderland that expresses joy, freedom, and above all…protection. Freedom to dream and imagine a world where our pollinators, wild plants, and People of the Global Majority, specifically Black people, are protected. A future that prioritizes the enrichment of the lives of those whose existence is threatened. Pollinators, wild plants, and Black people face a similar reality of endangerment. The dandelion is one of the most disrespected wild plants on the planet, yet provides potent medicine to those who take the time to go beyond the surface of the stereotypes that perpetuate its existence. Black culture fuels every aspect of culture globally, yet is weaponized against its creators.

The goal with this mural is to educate and to have fun. Neither are mutually exclusive, but both are needed in order to consciously, morally and ethically move forward. Each time one walks the rec path—ground yourself, enjoy the colors and imaginative intentions, and understand that what’s on the surface is only the beginning. Take the time and feel the vibrations. Change starts from within and as a community, we made something that will open minds and inspire.