Worcester Public Library
‘Once Upon A Time’ - Spring 2021
Lead Artist: Ryan Gardell
Assisted by: Ivy Orth
Special thanks to The Worcester Public Library
Once Upon A Time is a series of interconnected murals that were designed & painted for the Worcester Public Library in March 2021. The murals cover a three floor stairwell, which leads to the children’s section, as part of a large renovation of the library. It took roughly one year of planning, three weeks of designs and four weeks on site to tackle this project. Since this mural covers all walls 360 degrees, it had to be captured in many shots. Pictured here is the foyer which serves as both the entrance and the exit. As visitors to the library, we are the heroes of our own story, departing from the city for a brief escape into the world of the imagination.
This mural depicts the evolution of language and reading throughout history, the impact that access to books has made on humanity, and how literature plays a role in our lives today and tomorrow. We also squeezed as many references as we could to our favorite folklore, fairytales and mythology, but also included non-fiction, scientific references and a few local icons and landmarks. We had so much fun creating this mural, and illustrating the magic that lies inside of stories.
