This box is a tribute to the wildness of nature that peeks out through the human constructed urban environment, especially in neighbourhoods like Shaw Street that cultivate beautiful trees and gardens. These urban oases are not merely decorative; gardens serve as vital lifelines that enhance the quality of city life for community members, wildlife, and the land itself. When I first visited the site, I was intrigued by the fact that coming from the north, half of the box is hidden behind a neighbour's hedge, and this inspired me to play with that fact by creating a slow reveal for people walking down the street. My nickname for this piece is "peekaboo". On this side the first thing you see is the flowing pink floral lines on top, but as you get closer, a feminine face appears, some kind of nature spirit looking out from behind large parting leaves. On the other side I opted for a more traditional abstract flower design.

I employed a combination of spray paint, to create soft sweeping gradients, and brush work for clean lines and details.

I had a wonderful experience painting. Almost everyone who walked by had something nice to say about the art. We reflected on the resilience of nature in our modern world. So many people expressed gratitude for beautifying their community, told me how happy they were to see the ugly box being painted, and several people asked how to get other boxes painted (send your requests to @bellboxmurals)!