Art Commission | Mendota

adding beauty to the town

In 2023, Mendota participated in community surveys and interviews through Community Heart and Soul. Many residents said they hoped we could have murals in Mendota as well as more arts and music celebrated.

In 2024 the City of Mendota received a National of Endowment of Arts (NEA) grant.

In 2025 the City of Mendota established an Arts Commission. Commission members apply and are appointed by the mayor. Commission members guide the development of public art in Mendota including murals, scultures and public art events.

Early June 2026. Two artists will begin to paint murals downtown Mendota. Funding provided by the NEA grant. Mural sites are 728 Main Street and 725 Washington Street.

Painted Wings & Wild Things

The Unveiling Celebration of Two Murals

Sunday, June 14

11am - 4pm
Downtown Mendota

Mural Dedications:

1pm at 728 Main St.
1:30pm at 725 Washington St.

Activities and Shopping available.
See full details below.

This project is funded by:

Enjoy June 14 Event Activities
and Downtown Stores

9-11am

Birding Hike
at Lake Kakusha

Led by Dave Brewer, Master Naturalist, U of I Extension, participants will search for the last of the Spring migration.

9-11am

Nature Journaling
at Lake Kakusha

Led by U of I Extension, discover how to slow down, look closely and connect more deeply with the natural world. For ages 12 and up.

11am-2pm

Birds of Prey
at Veteran's Park

This captivating exhibits provides an up-close viewing of live hawks and owls to learn about them, their diet and their habitat.

11am-4pm

Photo/Art Exhibit
at Hume-Carnegie Museum
907 Washington St.

Exhibit featuring local photographers and artists presenting their interpretations
of local birds and nature.

11am-4pm

Activities for Kids of all Ages
Veteran's Park
901 Washington St.

Come enjoy various crafts and activities sponsored by Graves-Hume Public Library, IL Audubon, Nachusa Grasslands, and Mendota Arts Commission.

2pm

Nature Dance
at Veteran's Park
901 Washington St.

A short presentation of colorful bird dances by Mendota's own
Ballet Folklorico dancers.

Eat

Enjoy food

Mendota has many choices of good food. Check-out our options here.

Shop

Downtown Stores

Many downtown stores will be open for shopping celebrating birds and nature.

Financial Support

Birdsong Chapter - Illinois Audubon
Community Heart and Soul

Hornung and Electrical Inc.

Illinois Frame (Tim Kennedy)
Jerry's Tap

La Salle Co Tourism

Mauch Carpentry

Mendota Lions Club

Sammy's Roadhouse

Sherwin Williams - Peru

John and Sharon Beetz

Amy and Dave Brewer

Aimee and Troy Holland

Frank Kobisek

Project Support

* Audubon Mural Project

* Mendota Area Chamber
of Commerce

* Mendota Museum
and Historical Society

* World Migratory Bird Day

Thank You

Meet the Team

The following artists were recommended to the Mendota Art Commission
for the murals being painted in 2026.
As the Commission continues to bring art to the city, they will be looking for others who can
paint murals, create sculptures, or bring other artistic flavor to the community.

Audrey Carver

Muralist for 728 Main St

Audrey Carver is a multidisciplinary artist based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She has been painting since she was a child, but transitioned into art/academic interdisciplinary work in high school at Idyllwild Arts Academy. She graduated summa cum laude from Tufts University in 2022, with a self-designed major in Scientific Communication. She has had both solo and group expositions in Cuenca, Ecuador, Palm Springs, Idyllwild, San Diego, and Boston.

She has worked as an artist-in-residence in Ecuador, and science communication fellow at Scripps Institute of Oceanography at UCSD, the Climate Science Alliance, Cabrillo National Monument, and Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve. As part of her work with the Climate Science Alliance, she has created artistic environmental education resources used by NASA JPL's SciAct project team, the National Park Service, the USDA, and several Tribal Environmental Education departments.

She was the curator for the 2023 San Diego Climate Summit art show, hosted by the San Diego Natural History Museum. She is currently the owner and lead artist of her own mural business.

www.audreycarverart.com

Justin Suarez

Muralist for 725 Washington St

Born on a family farm in upstate New York, Justin Suarez is an aerosol and fine artist who celebrates wildlife with large-scale spray painted murals. His work immediately draws the viewer in by capturing magnificent movement over concrete and brick. With over 20 years
experience, he has painted murals across the US, and his work has been exhibited around the world. Justin Suarez brings the intensity of a
raptor to his artistic endeavors, as well as his work as a handler of birds of prey at Wild Wings Animal Sanctuary in Honeoye Falls, NY. In the fall of 2015, Suarez co-founded Roc Paint Division, the City of Rochester’s Youth Mural Arts Program. Roc Paint Division’s mission is to beautify City-owned spaces through mural arts while providing employment and training opportunities to young developing artists. Now in its 10th year, the program has enriched the lives of over 60 individual youth, allowing them to leave their mark behind to inspire future generations.

adding beauty to the town

Painted Wings & Wild Things

The Unveiling Celebration of Two Murals

Mural Dedications:

1pm at 728 Main St.

1:30pm at 725 Washington St.

​

Activities and Shopping available. See full details below.

​

This project is funded by:

Enjoy June 14 Event Activities and Downtown Stores

Birding Hike at Lake Kakusha

Nature Journaling at Lake Kakusha

Birds of Prey at Veteran's Park

Photo/Art Exhibit at Hume-Carnegie Museum 907 Washington St.

Activities for Kids of all Ages Veteran's Park 901 Washington St.

Nature Dance at Veteran's Park 901 Washington St.