ARTIST: JOHN HARRINGTON

John Harrington has painted murals with friends and has hosted thousands of artists over the past 27 years as one of the founders of Paint Louis, an international mural art festival. Held at the 20-foot-tall, 2-mile-long flood wall along the Mississippi River in downtown St. Louis, MO, Paint Louis has drawn artists from around the world to contribute to the wall and reconnect with the street art, graffiti, and mural community. Through his work, Harrington is committed to bringing the St. Louis community together through art, murals, and neighborhood beautification.

Cornestone of the Community is a mural about how the Cornerstone Center for Early Learning is a beacon of hope in the Shaw neighborhood and a safe haven for children to learn and grow as they take their first steps out into the world. Harrington’s son attended the school for two years, making this an important mural for him. His son is autistic and has a speech delay, and Cornerstone’s staff helped him learn, grow, and play along with other students. Harrington’s mural celebrates the happiness of the staff and students as well as the Shaw neighborhood as a whole.