Wild Medicine Eco Mural 23: Kennett Greenway

(In collaboration with the Kennett Trails Alliance and Square Roots Collective)
Location: 650 W South St, Kennett Square, PA | Date: 2025
Lead Artist: Kala Hagopian, Hagopian Arts

Project Overview

Wild Medicine Eco Mural 23: Kennett Trails transforms the Kennett Greenway into a living outdoor gallery where art, ecology, and community converge. Created in partnership with the Kennett Trails Alliance and Square Roots Collective (SRC), the project weaves together fine art, environmental education, and cultural storytelling through four free-standing murals, a companion Wild Medicine Plant Identification Guide & Coloring Journal, immersive community workshops, and the culminating Wild Medicine Unveiled event.

Guidance from the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, whose ancestral homelands include Kennett Square, informed the cultural and ecological narrative of the work. Their insights, along with collaboration from Lenape ethnobotanists and partnerships with conservation organizations including the Xerces Society, Monarch Joint Venture, Pollinator Partnership, and North American Land Trust, helped inform the project with authenticity and respect.

Kala Hagopian met Chief Adam Waterbear, Lenape Nation Council Member and Chief, during the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania Pow Wow in the Poconos, an incredible cultural experience that deepened the connection, understanding, and authenticity of the project’s intent. His wisdom and generosity later gave rise to the foreword of the Wild Medicine Plant Identification Guide & Coloring Journal:

“Wild things are not owned or used; they exist autonomously and benefit those who have earned their comfort and trust. The wild teaches balance through respect, gratitude, and awareness. When we walk gently upon the land and take only what is offered, we honor the spirit of all living things. These relationships are sacred. They remind us that to know the wild is to remember who we are.”

His words became a guiding light for the project, shaping not only the murals but the book, workshops, and partnerships that brought the series to life.

In her reflection at the back of the Wild Medicine Plant Identification Guide & Coloring Journal, Hagopian writes:

“The wisdom of the Lenape Nation, passed through Adam’s words, reminded me that art and ecology share a sacred rhythm. Each plant, each mural, and each collaboration became a prayer of connection—a way to remember that beauty itself can be medicine. Wild Medicine is not just about painting what grows; it is about growing a relationship with what we paint.”

Created in collaboration with Square Roots Collective, whose model reinvests 100 percent of business profits into community initiatives, Wild Medicine Eco Mural 23 continues the relationship that began with Eco Mural 20: Artelo and advances the Eco Mural Project’s evolution from wall-based works to custom-fabricated, free-standing installations designed for long-term public engagement.

Each mural was hand-painted on polytab (mural cloth) and mounted on custom aluminum and steel frames fabricated by Outliers Trade Shop, tracing the layered architecture of the forest from canopy to soil and revealing the interdependence of pollinators, plants, and people.

Following their unveiling at The Creamery of Kennett Square during Wild Medicine Unveiled, the murals were installed along the Greenway as permanent public artworks. Each piece includes a QR code linking directly to this page, where visitors can explore the ecological and cultural stories that inspired the series.

The project’s creative and community impact was formally recognized with a congratulatory letter from U.S. Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan, commending Hagopian Arts and Square Roots Collective for their contributions to the Kennett Greenway and to the broader Pennsylvania community. Her message of gratitude reflected the project’s power to unite art, ecology, and civic engagement through creative collaboration.

As Hagopian concludes in her book’s closing reflection:

“Connection to nature is the blueprint for interdependence and synchronicity. Public art, like plant knowledge, is for everyone. It opens shared spaces where we can see ourselves as part of a larger whole.”

Wild Medicine Eco Mural 23: Kennett Trails embodies that vision—a collaboration between artists, ecologists, and community members dedicated to nurturing beauty, balance, and belonging along the Kennett Greenway.

Each mural was painted on polytab (mural cloth), then mounted onto custom-fabricated aluminum and steel panels built by Outliers Trade Shop. This process allows for fine-art detail and layered texture before weatherproof installation, blending studio precision with public collaboration.

Consistent with Hagopian Arts’ signature style, the murals juxtapose highly rendered realism with ornamental and geometric patterning inspired by Lenape beadwork, weaving, and quillwork. Repeating stars, mandalas, and lattices symbolize cycles of balance and the interconnection of beings.

A unified color palette flows throughout:

Reds and oranges for fire and life-force energy
Deep blues for sky, water, and spirit
Greens for medicine and renewal
Golds for sunlight and joy

White outlines reference wampum-belt borders that hold and honor the design. Together, these elements create a visual language that is ecological, spiritual, and distinctly Hagopian Arts.

Wild Medicine Unveiled

To celebrate completion, Hagopian Arts and SRC hosted Wild Medicine Unveiled at The Creamery of Kennett Square, one of SRC’s community-operated venues that donates profits to local initiatives.

During the event, the four murals were temporarily displayed inside the Creamery, surrounding guests with the imagery of Wild Medicine Eco Mural 23 before their installation along the Greenway.

The performances, installations, and live art were an extension of the murals themselves, amplifying the public art into a layered, multi-sensory experience. Fine art models, aerialists, musicians, and performers reflected the movement and emotion of the murals through sound, light, and form.

Staff wore Wild Medicine Eco Mural 23 shirts designed by Hagopian Arts and custom headpieces, while both performers and staff wore temporary tattoos, miniature mural replicas and spin-off designs created for the event.

Decorative 3D installations and botanical headpieces were crafted by Jess, extending the public art into sculpture and costume. Hagopian live-painted throughout the evening, merging fine art with performance as the murals came alive through sound, motion, and human presence.

The event, filmed by Cinthya Vong and XXII Media, reflected the project’s core philosophy: art as a living experience of interconnection between people, nature, and creative community.

Community Engagement

Building on Eco Mural 20: Artelo and its 2024 Hispanic Heritage Festival community paint event, Eco Mural 23 expanded this model with a series of public painting workshops hosted by Square Roots Collective and the Kennett Trails Alliance.

Participants painted guided sections of the murals while learning about local ecology and pollinators. Breathe Moore led mindfulness and yoga sessions that joined movement and creativity, blending emotional well-being with environmental learning.

Through this hands-on collaboration, the murals became both shared artwork and shared responsibility, a visual reminder that community connection is its own form of stewardship.

The Wild Medicine Plant Identification Guide & Coloring Journal and Fine Art Reproductions

The Wild Medicine Plant Identification Guide & Coloring Journal extends the mural series into a creative and educational field guide. Created by Hagopian Arts in partnership with Square Roots Collective and the Kennett Trails Alliance, the book merges fine art, ecology, and cultural storytelling.

Illustrations by Jess Israel are based directly on the mural panels from Wild Medicine Eco Murals 21 (Bartram’s Garden) and 23 (Kennett Trails), transforming public art into intricate line drawings for personal exploration.

Hagopian “went to the source,” collaborating with the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, attending the Jim Thorpe Lenape Pow Wow, and working with Chief Adam Waterbear and Lenape ethnobotanists to ensure cultural accuracy and respect. Nonprofit partners, including the Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership, and Monarch Joint Venture, reviewed ecological content, uniting Indigenous knowledge and conservation science.

Each journal includes a bound pouch containing 12 Fine Art Colored Pencils donated by Chartpak (Grumbacher), allowing readers to bring color to the pages while connecting creatively with local ecology.

To complement the book, Fine Art Mural Reproductions of the four Kennett Trails murals were created for the Square Roots Collective offices, extending the project’s reach into indoor spaces where art and community intersect.

A percentage of profits from both the Wild Medicine Plant Identification Guide & Coloring Journal and the Fine Art Mural Reproductions supports nonprofit environmental partners dedicated to pollinator conservation and ecological education.

Panel 1: Canopy & Nectar Web

Location: Cypress Beach Trailhead

This vibrant opening mural celebrates the pollinators of the forest canopy. Bee balm and butterfly weed attract hummingbirds, monarchs, and bees, while marigolds—symbols of remembrance in Hispanic culture—add warmth and celebration. A ruby-throated hummingbird hovers at the center of a Lenape-inspired hexagonal mandala, its palette of cerulean, rose, and gold radiating harmony and vitality.

Flora and Fauna

Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) – Lenape medicine for colds and wounds; nectar source for hummingbirds and long-tongued bees anchoring midsummer pollination.
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) – Host plant for monarch larvae; vital nectar for butterflies and bees supporting migration cycles.
Marigold (Tagetes patula) – Symbolically important; draws beneficial insects and honors Hispanic heritage.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) – Primary canopy pollinator of tubular flowers.
Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) – Migratory pollinator linking ecosystems across North America.
Bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) – Buzz-pollinator sustaining meadow biodiversity.

Panel 2: Shrub Layer & Insect–Bird Connectors

Location: Birch Street Trail Intersection

This mural explores the midstory where birds and insects bridge ecosystems. Elderberry, sumac, and spicebush provide food and shelter, while goldfinches and cedar waxwings scatter seeds that renew the landscape. The white diamond lattice symbolizes movement and migration—echoing wildlife corridors and the historic path of the Underground Railroad through Kennett’s woods.

Flora and Fauna

Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) – Lenape remedy for fever; flowers feed pollinators, berries feed songbirds and mammals.
Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) – Tea and dye source; red berries feed migrating birds through winter.
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) – Aromatic host for Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies.
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) – Native seed disperser maintaining meadow health.
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) – Frugivore that spreads elderberry and spicebush seeds.
Longhorn Beetle (Desmocerus palliatus) – Pollinator ensuring elderberry reproduction.

Panel 3: Spring Forest Floor

Location: Anson B. Nixon Park Trailway

This tranquil scene celebrates spring renewal. Solomon’s seal, blue cohosh, and trout lily emerge from deep soil beside the Eastern red-backed salamander, symbol of balance and hidden wisdom. Circular mandala geometry drawn from Lenape beadwork represents regeneration and the medicine that begins underground.

Flora and Fauna

Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) – Stabilizes soil; early nectar for bees; anti-inflammatory medicine.
Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) – Pollinated by early flies and bees; Lenape women’s medicine.
Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) – Early nectar source for queen bumblebees.
Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) – Regulates insect populations, signaling forest health.

Panel 4: Hidden Fruits & Dispersers

Location: Historic Kennett Square Water Works (Near Anson B. Nixon Park)

The closing mural honors unseen exchanges that sustain the forest. Jack-in-the-pulpit, Mayapple, and wild sarsaparilla share space with the wood thrush and Eastern box turtle, whose patience and longevity symbolize ecological continuity. A climbing passionflower unites Indigenous and Hispanic healing traditions through shared reverence for medicinal plants.

Installed beside the historic Kennett Square Water Works, which once supplied clean water to the community, the mural bridges natural and civic stewardship.

Learn more → Kennett Square Water Works

Flora and Fauna

Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) – Pollinated by fungus gnats; berries feed birds.
Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) – Fruit dispersed by box turtles linking plant and animal cycles.
Wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) – Flowers attract bees; berries feed thrushes and chipmunks.
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) – Host for fritillary butterflies; symbol of healing and unity.
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) – Seed disperser and bioindicator of healthy forests.
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) – Primary seed disperser of Mayapple and other understory plants.

The four murals reflect the forest’s living structure, from canopy to floor, showing how plants, animals, and people share one interconnected ecosystem. The imagery honors Lenape medicinal plant knowledge, immigrant traditions, and regional biodiversity.

About the Eco Mural and Wild Medicine Projects

The Eco Mural Project by Hagopian Arts integrates painting, ecology, and storytelling to inspire environmental awareness.

Within it, the Wild Medicine Eco Mural Project explores medicinal plant heritage through collaboration with Indigenous leaders, scientists, and community partners.

Eco Mural 20: Artelo began the partnership with Square Roots Collective, aligning art with social purpose.

Closing Reflection

These words, shared between Chief Adam Waterbear and artist Kala Hagopian, express the spirit of Wild Medicine Eco Mural 23: Kennett Trails—a reminder that art, ecology, and community are all part of the same living system.

“Wild things are not owned or used; they exist autonomously and benefit those who have earned their comfort and trust. The wild teaches balance through respect, gratitude, and awareness. When we walk gently upon the land and take only what is offered, we honor the spirit of all living things. These relationships are sacred. They remind us that to know the wild is to remember who we are.”

— Chief Adam Waterbear, Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania

“When we create art that honors what grows around us, we step back into that ceremony. Public art becomes a living act of reciprocity, an offering of color, care, and story to the communities we share. The murals of Wild Medicine are not about ownership but participation, about remembering that our health, our culture, and our creativity are all rooted in the same soil.”

— Kala Hagopian

Credits

Lead Artist: Kala Hagopian – Hagopian Arts

Collaborating Partners: Square Roots Collective, Kennett Trails Alliance, Outliers Trade Shop

Creative Operations: Jax – Project Management

Studio Team: Helen Harvey, Spencer Wagner, Michael Walker

Costume Design and Fabrication: Hagopian Arts with Helen Harvey and Spencer Wagner

Performers (Wild Medicine Unveiled): Katherine Petro – Aerial Performance | Cellyssao – Electric Cello | Jasmine Cassell – Vocals | Breathe Moore & Pabon Productions – Fine Art Models | Electric Church Tattoo – Body Painting | Jess & Randy – 3D Installation change to their real names not ig handles

Film Production: Cinthya Vong, XXII Media, Justin Bare

Book Illustration: Jess Israel
Book Layout and Design: Kate Lawler

Venue: The Creamery of Kennett Square

Special Thanks:

Chartpak (Grumbacher) for donating the Fine Art Colored Pencil sets bound within each Wild Medicine Plant Identification Guide & Coloring Journal

The Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania for their cultural guidance and wisdom
Our nonprofit environmental partners, including the Xerces Society, Monarch Joint Venture, Pollinator Partnership, and the North American Land Trust, whose ongoing conservation work inspires this project
The Kennett Square and surrounding community for their support and participation
And to Kai, whose love, patience, and belief sustain this work

HAGOPIAN ARTS' FINE ART MURAL REPRODUCTIONS

Limited edition, museum quality prints of hand-painted murals using archival-grade inks and premium textured vinyl

At Hagopian Arts, we bring the beauty and depth of meticulously hand-painted murals into your space through our fine art-quality vinyl mural reproductions. These murals capture the richness of highly rendered realism, seamlessly woven with ornamental patterning, reflecting our signature artistic style. Our Botanical and Eco Murals celebrate the natural world, offering a striking yet timeless fusion of art and design.