Welcome to Mt Lebanon by Ashley Hodder

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

There had been an old billboard here, but the business that it advertised had closed and the owner now wanted to sell advertising space to multiple businesses. Instead of just a rectangle filled with ads, the artist suggested a more subtle approach. She designed an old-fashioned post card with the businesses included in a street scene of the neighborhood.
They invited the community to decide on the images to use inside the letters spelling out "Mt Lebanon".
In an online vote, the residents chose what they felt represented their neighborhood best:

• high school sports
• the K-9 division of the police force
• the farmers' market
• an image of their retired fire chief
• gardening (pride in their landscaping)
• sports and recreation
• walking (They have no school buses here and promote walking.)

In the background you'll see the local high school as well as the Mt Lebanon logo.
The businesses that are included pay for the advertising, and that funds the mural. As advertisers change each year the mural gets updated to reflect the new businesses. A very creative and attractive way to advertise.

UPDATE May 2014
We definitely noticed the changes in the businesses featured in the mural. The modifications were done seamlessly. There are no glaring differences in the intensity of the colors. Unless you knew what had been there previously you probably wouldn’t realize that anything had been changed.

Mural at the Mt Lebanon T-Station by multiple artists

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

When Pittsburgh celebrated it’s 250th anniversary, Mt Lebanon installed two murals as part of their commemoration of the event. This mural above the T–station on Shady Ave is one of them. Helen Worsing designed it to showcase Mt Lebanon as a walking community. This feature of the Mt Lebanon neighborhood is a huge source of pride for them. They don’t use school buses, and they encourage all forms of exercise and activity. Having a pro–walking mural alongside the public transportation stop really impresses you that this community is ahead of it’s time in promoting alternatives to driving.

The mural wraps around the sweeping corner of Shady Ave and continues on 4 walls. The style changes from silhouette to detailed and back again as you walk around the mural.

Ivy Inn Mural by Ashley Hodder

About Pgh Murals
Spreadsheet of Pittsburgh Public Art and blog archives
Map of Pittsburgh Public Art

This building on the corner of Castle Shannon Blvd and Cypress Way was in need of some sprucing up. The community got together and decided on a mural for Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary. Artist Ashley Hodder opted to showcase one of the city's famous landmarks and used Phipps Concervatory as the inspiration. With the business next door being the Ivy Inn, she incorporated ivy through the tranquil scene of plants and water beneath a domed glass greenhouse with blue skies above.