TOLEDO – What began as a conversation about the riverfront has blossomed into one of Toledo’s most ambitious public art movements. The 100 Mural Project, founded by local artist Dean Davis, is reimagining the city as a living gallery, one wall at a time.
Initially, the scope was limited to Toledo’s riverfront. But with encouragement, the idea took shape. Davis expanded the vision to encompass the entire city. “We wanted to touch all areas of Toledo,” he said.
For Davis, the most impactful mural is always the next one. Each new painting brings a neighborhood’s history and spirit into the open, transforming blank walls into canvases of pride and memory.
“Every time we do a mural, a new part of Toledo is born, and also new stories are rediscovered,” he explains. “It’s like opening up photo albums from the city’s past and putting them in public art.”
Currently, Davis and his team are preparing to move their brushes to the parking garage at Madison and Erie. The forthcoming mural will center on gratitude, a positive message that Davis believes the city needs now more than ever. With an ever-changing world, one thing stays the same. The need for art.
While every mural is unique, they share a common thread: storytelling. The Art Tatum mural pays homage to the legendary Toledo jazz pianist, with a piano key left unfinished to honor future local musicians. The playful Toledo Frog mural was designed simply to uplift spirits, while the Holcim mural stands as a beacon of belonging.
“It’s for all of us Toledo folk to know this is home,” Davis says.
The Patriot Park mural stands proud, depicting the American Flag alongside our everyday heroes. Fire fighters, health care workers, police officers and soldiers.
There are many stories and messages in each mural. Seeing them is truly a chance for personal discovery. Davis emphasizes that the imagery for each mural comes directly from the communities where they are created. He spends time listening to residents, letting their stories shape the final work.
“The spirit of those neighborhoods tells the murals what they should be about,” Davis notes. It is important to him to bring the voices of Toledo to life in vivid colors. Everyone has a story that deserves the chance to be told.
To Davis, public art is more than paint on a wall, it is a reflection of identity. “As we move to be more progressive in the world, we need to show the world that we are a force,” he says. “Public art is like artwork for your home. When guests come, they can tell we have class and are proud to call Toledo home.”
Toledo is full of artists and creativity, and the murals signal that aspect of the city’s culture. The 100 Mural Project is more than art; it is a collective memory painted in bold color across the city’s future.
TFP Photos by Stephen Zenner
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