Ribbon Cutting for Downtown Mural Held at 51 West

This group participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony in downtown Frankfort. From left are Bonnie Reynolds, Dan Fray, Dr. Jill Snyder, Jada Redmon, Annie Bacon, Michelle Garza, Daniel Garcia, Isaac Hunter and Ivan Santos.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held early Friday afternoon recognizing the new mural and the Frankfort Future Leaders Advisory Council (FFLAC) who brought this artwork to downtown area.

“It’s really awesome,” said Dr. Jill Snyder, whose building at 51 West Clinton Street is where the mural is located. “I was so excited when they made the presentation to me and said they wanted to do this.”

The mural was a collaboration between the FFLAC, Tippecanoe Arts Federation and the City of Frankfort. It was painted by Indiana artist Mitchell Schuring of Metabyte Creative and depicts a tree with a swing on the side of it.

“We worked with a few names,” said FFLAC member Isaac Hunter. “It’s really what the people taking the picture want it to be. I always like the idea of ‘Tree of Love.'”

Hunter said he was happy with the way the mural turned out.

“It looks amazing,” said Hunter. “The artist really did a great job.”

Snyder was asked her thought on getting the youths more involved in projects such as the mural.

“I think it’s exciting that we have a group of youth that are starting to take an interest in Frankfort, impacting Frankfort and don’t see Frankfort as being I want to get out of here, I want to leave,” said Snyder. “They’re saying lets make it better so that we want to raise our families here and live here.”

The FFLAC plans a “Quality of Place” project each year. Past projects include the gateway signs at entrances to the city, the Gem City Sculpture and the Hot Dog bench both located on Clinton Street.