Underpasses as canvases: Organizers raise funds for mural on Ann Arbor railroad bridge

This story is part of a series about arts and culture in Washtenaw County. It is made possible by the Ann Arbor Art Center, Destination Ann Arbor, Larry and Lucie Nisson, the University of Michigan Arts Initiative, and the University Musical Society.

TreeTown Murals‘ “Murals That Bridge” initiative is continuing a citywide effort to transform Ann Arbor infrastructure into visual landmarks, with a new large-scale installation planned for the North Main Street railroad underpass near the Argo Dam corridor. Building on TreeTown Murals’ earlier Huron Street overpass work, the project will add restored surfaces, bold imagery, and the words “Welcome” and “Gratitude” across the structure’s wing walls and overhead beam.

The initiative is being completed in collaboration with local artists, donors, and arts organizations, including emerging partnerships with the University of Michigan Stamps School of Art & Design. While the work is privately funded, organizers have launched a $15,000 crowdfunding campaign to complete the project and expand community participation in its development and execution.

Mary Thiefels, artist managing partner of TreeTown Murals, says the North Main project emerged from early conversations in 2022 that centered on reimagining underpasses as entry points into the city rather than overlooked infrastructure. She says those discussions were shaped by both prior artistic work in the area and a long-standing interest in activating public space through art. She says Larry and Lucie Nisson, local arts supporters and funders of Murals That Bridge, reached out to Thiefels and TreeTown Murals Creative Director Danijel Matanic in 2022, “looking to dream up a project, wanting to collaborate with us and vice versa.”

“They had seen work we had been doing around the city of Ann Arbor, and simultaneously they were starting to invest more in public art and seeing a vision of what could become a very vibrant, colorful city,” Thiefels says.

She says the concept also draws directly from her own early experiences as an artist working in the same infrastructure spaces that are now being reimagined. She notes that underpass projects were often completed with limited funding and informal partnerships that laid the groundwork for more structured public art initiatives today.

“The underpasses were my first canvases,” she says. “We’ve built a relationship with the railroad over the last 25 years, and they’ve allowed us to do rotating murals.”

She says the North Main installation, designed by Matanic, represents both a continuation and an expansion of that work, particularly in its focus on restoring and activating structural elements that had previously been untreated or purely functional. 

“The relationship-building was already there, and now we have the opportunity to put funding behind it and restore the structures,” Thiefels says. “Painting the beam that goes over the road was a brand-new idea.”

Larry Nisson says the project grew out of a desire to bring more large-scale public art to the city after observing similar efforts elsewhere. He says early public art discussions in Ann Arbor revealed both enthusiasm and hesitation, which made private investment a key driver in launching the initiative.

“Originally, my wife Lucie and I would go to other cities, and we were impressed with their art, and we wanted to bring that same amount of art to Ann Arbor,” Nisson says. “We wanted to start funding projects with the idea that if people see something they like, they’ll want more of it.”

Laura Russello, founder and CEO of Constellations Consulting LLC, says her role in Murals That Bridge has centered on expanding the project’s fundraising base beyond major donors to include broader community participation. She says the effort is designed to make residents feel personally invested in the finished work, regardless of donation size.

“It’s been great to help with the fundraising component,” Russello says. “The goal was to secure some major donors, but at this point we are trying to get as many community members involved as we possibly can so everyone can feel a sense of ownership over this project.”

Russello says that inclusive approach aligns with the project’s broader goal of accessibility, since the murals are publicly visible to anyone passing through the corridor.

“These are 100% privately funded projects, but everyone has equal access to them and can enjoy them,” she says. “We want people to feel like they live in a better, more welcoming place.”

As the project moves toward construction, Thiefels says logistical planning is underway for lane closures, structural access, and safety coordination along the heavily trafficked corridor. She says the work requires careful staging but is designed for efficient execution once underway, with volunteer opportunities focused on setup, wayfinding, and support rather than direct roadside painting.

Supporters can contribute to the campaign at GoFundMe. More information about TreeTown Murals and its other projects can be found on its website. 

“This is a call to action,” Thiefels says. “At one point, our team was talking about this being a model project for other municipalities. Without philanthropic support from citizens, we might not have public art funded at all.”