Walk around the Naperville Crossings shopping center and you might catch a glimpse of a beautiful butterfly, or at least a sidewalk mural of one.
“Signs of HOPE” spread through sidewalk art
Professional artist Shayne Taylor of Chicago brought this butterfly to life as part of the nationwide “Signs of HOPE” during Suicide Prevention Month. The initiative uses art and signage to promote services – such as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – for those in distress.
“Everybody I think feels distress, especially with social media these days,” said Kathy Jemilo, Senior Regional Property Manager for PECO. “If you’re not on social media you’re bullied for not being on social media. If you are on social media, you’re bullied when you’re on there. ‘You’re too pretty, you’re too fat, you’re too thin, you’re something.'”
Kathy Jemilo, senior regional property manager for Philips Edison and Company, which owns Naperville Crossings, says this is the sixth year of the company doing a Chalk Your Walk day at the shopping center, with the tie-in to Signs of HOPE added for this year’s event.
Being in such a public space, Taylor hopes it draws attention to a deeper kind of beauty.
“The ability to see beauty not just in the butterfly itself but in the different forms it takes to get to the beautiful butterfly,” she said.
Community invited to take part in transformative art
Taylor started at 9 a.m. and finished around 3 p.m., with families occasionally joining her to chalk their own butterflies. Taking a more leisurely pace than usual, she wanted onlookers to see the transformation, much like that of a butterfly.
“You want to see the different stages and enjoy the process,” said Taylor.
“Her mural is beautiful,” said Jemilo. “She said it’ll last for a couple of rainfalls. So my fingers are crossed it’ll last for a while and people will get to enjoy it.”
‘You never know what somebody’s going through’
In the meantime, Jemilo has this message for the community.
“You never know what somebody’s going through,” she said. “So try to be kind.”
The mural is located just outside the PT Solutions business at 2775 Showplace Drive, by the intersection of Route 59 and 95 Street.
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