Turtle Bay Museum Native Bird Mural by Lura Wilhelm Studio in Redding

My name is Lura, and I am a community artist and educator based in Redding, CA. With over 17 years of experience teaching art, I have fostered creativity in my students and showcased our collective talents through numerous exhibitions. In the past year alone, I have organized three community art shows, with my students participating in six this year. Additionally, my students completed a mural last spring,, further sharing the love of public art. Beyond the classroom, I have designed and painted several large-scale murals in Redding, including the Turtle Bay Native Bird Mural, the Manzanita Mural on the historic Pump House, and the Harmonious Love Mural at the Methodist Church. Each project has allowed me to collaborate with artists, students, and community members to create meaningful public art that reflects our shared identity. Most recently, I have been working on Bridges of Community, a mural for Shasta Community Health Center. This design, in rich monochromatic blue with accents of burnt orange and golden yellow, symbolizes unity, care, and resilience. At its center, a woman holds the silhouettes of a young man and an elderly man, representing intergenerational care. Native trees and plants frame the scene, grounding it in the local landscape, while Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen in the distance symbolize strength and endurance. Figures of cyclists and families in the foreground reinforce themes of connection and support. This past May, my AP and Honors Art students and I create Roots of Our Community: The Leaves We Share, a mural celebrating the interconnectedness of our local environment. It will feature symbolic leaves from native trees: Fig, Dogwood, Mulberry, and Manzanita, each representing resilience, renewal, heritage, and adaptability. Abstract backgrounds will evoke unseen roots, symbolizing the deep connections that sustain our community. My murals are designed to enrich public spaces, tell meaningful stories, and bring people together. Public art has the power to transform, inspire, and connect, and I am honored to contribute to this dialogue through my work.