A massive mural now stands dazzling and fully finished in North Creek, New York, a powerful testament to what a community can achieve when it works together. Designed to reflect and connect the diverse spirit of the Adirondack region, the vibrant artwork is the result of years of collaborative effort — and this month, the people of North Creek came together to celebrate its long-awaited completion.
A special art exhibit was mounted at the Tannery Pond Community Center — and its opening reception doubled as a joyful wrap-party. The event celebrated the culmination of a thirteen-year effort to transform a set of retaining walls into a vibrant mosaic composed of more than 200,000 tiles. Enjoy our Spotlight feature on the art show and reception.
Residents of North Creek and surrounding communities gathered to reflect on the collective mural achievement and view the art exhibit, which featured photographs of some of the 2,000+ volunteers who contributed to the mural. The gallery also showcased new mosaic works created by individuals who were inspired by the project — including some who had never tried mosaic art before participating in the mural.
Lead artist Kate Hartley, who coordinated the project from start to finish, also displayed her own pieces commemorating the journey and spirit behind the mural.
You may see the exhibit Faces of Our North Creek Mosaic Mural & New Mosaics by Kate Hartley and Friends from now until September 6 at the Tannery Pond Community Center, 228 Main Street, North Creek, New York.
Of course, the focus of the celebration, the North Creek Mosaic Project is always available for viewing on Main Street. The mural completion festivities are happening during the very first summer where work on the wall was no longer necessary. The grouting process wrapped up last year. Here’s an archival Spotlight piece from 2023, a longer version of our mural report featuring insight from artist Kate Hartley and some of the project volunteers. It details the grouting process while showcasing the artwork the community spent 13 years to produce.
Mural location
Visitors to North Creek in Warren County, New York will find the mural across from Café Sarah, located at 260 Main Street.
Major donors
Many individual donors, organizations and volunteers contributed to the mural. They include: The Glenn and Carol Pearsall Adirondack Foundation, Town of Johnsburg Occupancy Tax Comm., Johnsburg Central School and Maria Glode, J.C.S. Art Dept., Community Fund for the Gore Mountain Region, Friends of the Town of Johnsburg Parks, LARAC/NYSCA Arts in Education, Johnsburg Fine Arts, Rivendell Foundation, Geoffery Konis, Ardex Americas, Debby Leigh, Schluter Systems, Wendy Sargent, Café Sarah, Marilyn Johnson, Frontier Communications, Meredith Brown, Warrensburg High School, T.C. Murphy Lumber, Barton Mines, Town of Johnsburg, In Style Flooring, Linnea Newman, Sandy Hill Foundation, Rob Wing, Volt Landscaping Johnsburg Youth Committee, Joyce and Tom Tuffey, Tannery Pond Center, Mike’s Creative Contracting, North Creek Rotary Club, J. Scott Willoughby, Camp Garuda, and North Creek Business Alliance.
Spotlight is made possible, in part, by the Glenn and Carol Pearsall Adirondack Foundation, dedicated to improving the quality of life for year-round residents of the Adirondack Park. Spotlight is also supported by Hill and Hollow Music.