Professor Deirdre Murphy’s public art mural class gives students the opportunity to design and create a biodiversity mural, entitled “Steel Rooted/ Wild Blooms”, for the Bethlehem community.
The environmental science and studies course allows students to plan and paint a mural that will be displayed on the side of Country Club Brewing on the South Side.
“We are providing the students with a class that is about creating something beautiful for the community,” Murphy said.
Murphy teaches in the Art, Architecture and Design department while also conducting research and pursuing a studio practice that connects nature and art.
She said the idea for the class developed from her research, along with encouragement from her first-year seminar, “Art and Climate Change.” She said student interest was strong, but it took a year to gain approval and plan the course.
There are 14 students in the class. Seven are design majors — including graphic, product, architecture and studio arts — while the other seven are science majors — including biology, environmental studies and computer science.
Students conducted research to design the mural, hearing from experts on biodiversity and working across disciplines to examine how it appears in plant species, watersheds and the atmosphere.
“Everybody is really willing to lean into their own superpower, or whatever their skill set is,” Murphy said.
The mural includes native plants, animals and historical references connected to Bethlehem, with a topographical map forming the background. It also incorporates elements intended to reflect relationships between species and the local environment.
Emily Koscielski, ‘26, a biology major, said she’s primarily focused on the research aspect of the project.
She said the class allows her to incorporate art into her science-focused coursework while contributing to a mural that highlights the presence of nature in an urban setting.
“The more you look, the more you realize everything around us is alive and everything matters,” Koscielski said. “Take notice of the smaller things. Take a second to look around and smell the flowers.”
She said the mural illustrated how elements of an ecosystem function together, including trees, pollinators and predators.
Elizabeth Maloney, ‘26, a design major, serves as the lead designer for the project, working to incorporate the different biodiversity elements into a single mural.
She said the class began with small groups researching biodiversity before coming together to share findings and refine ideas through multiple stages.
“One of the hardest parts was bringing it all together and making sure everybody feels heard in every stage of the process,” Maloney said. “It’s our due diligence to make sure we are making a mural that feels reflective of the community.”
She said the design process began with digital sketches on her iPad. Once the surface was prepared, the design was projected, traced and organized by paint color.
All students in the class participated, regardless of their major.
The project also includes a community engagement component and has received support from the Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission and the SouthSide Arts District.
Murphy said the Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission recommended the brewery as the mural site.
Students worked in teams to engage with community members, using “worksheet cards” to gather input on biodiversity and how it could be represented in the mural.
“This contributes to the community in a meaningful way that I think will spark more businesses to sponsor murals,” Murphy said. “I think it will spark more collaboration between institutions.”
She said one challenge has been funding, particularly following federal budget cuts. She estimates the mural materials will cost about $5,000.
The original plan was to paint directly on brick, but Murphy said the cost would’ve been significantly higher because of the porous material. Instead, the class chose alumalite panels, reducing costs by at least $1,000.
Murphy said the students’ various majors has helped resolve obstacles throughout the process.
The mural will include signage with a QR code that allows viewers to download line art, view a list of species and learn about their levels of endangerment, along with steps to reduce environmental impact.
Murphy said she hopes the project encourages community action.
“Today, more than ever we have to show up,” she said. “We have to vote. We have to speak out. That is what this mural is gonna be: through beauty, we are going to raise awareness.”
The mural is scheduled to be unveiled in a ceremony on May 1 from 4-6pm.
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