Parchester mural project: It takes a village to color a community

Dipping his brush into light blue paint, Peter Bakke filled numbered panels with the color. The sea was taking shape Saturday on the long wall in front of him, where dozens of other volunteers were applying shades of blue with careful strokes. 

Working all morning and much of the afternoon, the crew was the last of six to paint pieces of a mural called “Seeds to Harvest,” which stretches across 88 panels on a soundwall separating Richmond’s Parchester Village from Giant Highway. 

“I have learned a lot about murals just from being here in a short time,” Bakke said. “I think paint by numbers is a good idea because so many things can be broken down so that everybody can do it.” 

Using the method, artist Richard Muro Salazar made the project accessible to anyone in the community with the time and interest to get involved. And about 400 residents did. 

“I really love painting, but I do not have time or rather I don’t make time throughout my day,” said Bahar Biazar, a Richmond resident who worked to fill in the seascape. “And this is such a good excuse to get out, do some art and talk to people.” 

“Seeds to Harvest” honors Parchester’s history of environmental activism. Various scenes fill out the mural, which extends for about four blocks in vivid blues and greens. One pays tribute to the Rev. Guthrie Williams, who worked with city officials to develop a neighborhood where Black residents could find quality homes after World War II, when redlining was a common practice.  

“The Parchester community fought to be part of the city of Richmond back in the day. It took a while but we finally got incorporated into the city, so it’s always been a battle out here,” said Salazar, a longtime Richmond resident. 

Goretha Johnson, president of the Parchester Village Neighborhood Council, said it was exciting to see so many people involved in a project that would transform the soundwall into something that represents the community. 

The project is a joint venture of the Parchester Village neighborhood, Richmond Arts and Culture Commission, Meritage Homes, and Richmond Love Your Block, along with contributions from the city. It also includes a new sidewalk, bike lane and lights by the murals. 

“The big win for our community is really having a sidewalk and a bike lane to be able to get from the community to the regional shoreline,” Salazar said. “That’s wonderful.”

The last leg of the project will be for a core team of five artists to add the final touches in the next few months.

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