New Wheaton Mural to Celebrate City’s Diversity

A mural approved by the City of Wheaton’s Community Relations Committee and Fine Arts Committee, entitled “Pearls of the Universe" and celebrating the diversity of the City, is nearing completion on the Essencia Yoga building at 1026 College Ave., the Suburban Life reports.

According to the paper, the mural is painted by R. J. Ogren, who has worked for the City before as well as Disneyland and Disney World, and was inspired by local Ethiopian and Sudanese refugee and yoga fan Meharet Asgedom’s favorite poem, entitled “The Pearl,” about finding one’s self-worth.

"When I was in elementary school, there was a mural up above in the library. There was this tree and rolling hills and a couple of kids playing and a couple more sitting under a tree. I often just went to the library to look at the mural, I was so affected," Ogren told the paper. 

"Maybe this mural will effect some young artists or future literary giants and make them think of what they can do in the future."

The mural features international landmarks and diverse peoples, joined by an ocean to a glowing pearl in the sky; with the help of volunteers, the project is close to being finished, the paper said.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the mural costs about $6,000, with about $2,500 coming from donations and the rest from Wheaton's Community Relations and Fine Arts budgets. It will be highly visible to commuters, the Tribune notes.

"It just shows the journey of everyone who has the courage it takes to come and start over somewhere," Laurie Swanson Oberhelman, a member of the city's Community Relations Commission and the Chamber of Commerce, told the paper. "I just love when all sorts of different groups come together and work together to make something magnificent happen."

Read more at the Suburban Life and the Chicago Tribune websites, and follow the project at the Pearls of the Universe Facebook page.