Before Hilltop Arts Collective or Summer Jam West, eventual Summer Jam West founder Patti Von Niessen asked her neighbor, artist Aaron Grover, to paint a mural of 200 children playing in Westgate Park to commemorate Columbus’ Bicentennial. The mural was painted in Grover’s home over the winter of 2013/2014 on four sheets of 8′ X 4′ cement board with Nova mural paint. Grover designed the mural and then called in artist friends from the Hilltop to help him complete it. Long-time Hilltop resident Joe Lamothe installed the mural on the upper left portion of the west facing wall of the racquetball court in Westgate Park.

Danielle Poling’s Fantastic Food Garden mural later enveloped and incorporated Grover’s mural to complete the full wall, bringing attention to all the details painted in the original. Look closely. Count the children. What all can you see? There are so many fun things to spot.