WHAT:

A substantial local outdoor arts project that has been in the works for a couple of years is the creation of a 450-foot-long mural to be painted by Jay Walker, a nationally-recognized artist, along the Chester Creek Trail. This project is a collaboration of the Friends of the Chester Creek Branch, Rockdale Arts District, and Delaware County, with pro-bono support from Nolan Painting and financial support from the McKee Group.

Our Nolan Painting team donated its time and labor to clean, prep, and prime the 450-foot wall along the Chester Creek Trail before the mural gets painted.

The mural artist, Jay Walker, plans to create a simple, yet striking design of gently undulating lines meant to evoke motion, while incorporating images of birds rendered in a woodcut style that will reflect the colors of the surrounding environment. This mural will enliven a drab wall while celebrating motion and community artistry.

WHO IT BENEFITS:

The Friends of the Chester Creek Branch, the non-profit group that supports the Chester Creek Trail in Middletown and Aston Townships & the Chester Creek Trail.

WHEN & WHERE:

Nolan Painting’s work on the project took place in June 2020.

The Chester Creek Rail Trail is located in the heart of Delaware County, Pennsylvania in Middletown and Aston Townships. The currently constructed Phase I is 2.8 miles in length and follows the bed of the former Chester Creek Railroad between Lenni Road and Creek Road in a roughly NW-SE direction, and Phases II and III are underway. The trail parallels and crosses Chester Creek multiple times with many water views as well as woods, cliffs, open farmland, and glimpses of the residential and industrial areas neighboring the trail.

The non-profit behind the trail, the Friends of the Chester Creek Branch, founded by the late Mike Fusco, worked with many local and regional stakeholders to make this trail a reality, and continues to support trail expansion, and provide volunteer support and trailside amenities.

WHY:

This charitable effort is part of Nolan Painting’s Nolan in the Neighborhood community outreach program.  The program is focused on improving the community, particularly in the areas of education, the environment, health and fitness, and local history. The refreshening of the 450-foot trail wall aligns with Nolan’s focus on the community enjoying nature, the outdoors and fitness.