As you’re roaming around town, you may have noticed the many colorful murals adorning alleys and sides of buildings. You might have wondered if Edmonds offers walls to artists to play and create. Reader, you’d be wondering right. 

Well, kinda. 

There’s a strong likelihood that many of the murals you see, especially downtown, are the output of The Edmonds Mural Project, an off-shoot of Art Walk Edmonds designed to create a structure around grand-scale outdoor paintings in the city. The group was founded in 2017 and is made up of a committee of volunteer board members, community members, artists, and Edmonds business owners. They match artists with walls and add art to the city that enhances its beauty. Pretty awesome, huh? 

Mural Project Edmonds Installations

Since the project was founded, seven murals have been completed Downtown Edmonds. Dive deeper into them on the Project’s website, and check out overviews of them below:

A Mother’s Love, inspired by a mother orca and calf in J-Pod. Installed 2018, painted by Jake Wagoner

The Salish Sea, inspired by Puget Sound sea life. Installed in 2018, painted by Nick Goettling 

Floatlines, loosely inspired by sights you might see while walking around Edmonds. Installed in 2019, painted by Pete Goldlust and Melanie Germond

Before Edmonds, inspired by what a day on Edmonds’ waterfront may have looked like when it was inhabited by the first residents of the region. Installed in 2020, painted by Andy Eccleshall in collaboration with Ty Juvinel

Aosagi, inspired by the Japanese woodblock prints that are a uniquely Japanese art form, recognizes the special relationship between Edmonds and her Sister City, Hekinan, Japan. Installed in 2021, painted by Shogo Ota 

Returning Home, inspired by Edmonds as a perfect story-book setting. Installed in 2022, painted by AJ Power

Journey of Salmon, inspired by the colors of the Coast Salish tribes and overcoming obstacles in one of the most Pacific Northwest ways. Installed in 2023, painted by Paige Pettibon

Finding and taking a selfie with all of these murals could be a really fun (and family-friendly) scavenger hunt idea. Here’s the map that includes nearly 20 wall paintings to find around town, many of which were painted before the Mural Project was formed. 

If you choose to go hunting, tag us so we can reshare! We’re @exploreedmondswa on Instagram and Facebook. Make sure you add #muralprojectedmonds, too. 

Other Large-Scale Art in Edmonds

Two downtown fences are often used as art canvases—either by students or local artists. You can check out which fences—and the art they’ve shown off—here. 

There’s also art hidden in plain sight, like Mika’s Song in Civic Playfield, which features tubular bells that, when rung in the right order, play “Mika’s Song,” created by award-winning Edmonds composer, Ed Hartman. Learn more and get the music here. 

Also at Civic Playfield is Cascadia, described by its artist as a “love letter to the Salish Sea.” If you enter the park under its expansive shade structure, you’ll see this mixed media piece that is meant to evoke a deep sense of place in the Puget Sound region. Learn more about it here.

We could spend days exploring all the art around Edmonds, and thankfully we have a great community resource page to do just that. Bookmark the Edmonds Art in Public Places website, which offers a dynamic (and ever-growing) landing place for you to see where you want to go next separated by area of the city: Downtown, Waterfront, Flower Basket Art Poles, Stages of History Plaques, and Greater Edmonds. 

A few of our favorites? 

The Darkness Reflected mural, painted in 2011

Luminous Forest, installed in 2016

The EWC Welcoming Figure, installed in 2023

We’ll keep it to those for now, though. We’d never want to overwhelm you with all the art options in one fell swoop. These pieces are meant to be experienced meaningfully, so grab your favorite beverage to-go from one of Edmonds’ many wonderful cafés and take them a handful at a time.

More Art Adventures To Come

We really could go on and on about art in Edmonds, so look for more in this series focusing on smaller pieces and even hidden art you may have to keep your eyes peeled to see. Also know that the art scene in Edmonds moves so quickly that every visit will probably give you something you’ve never experienced before. We want you to keep coming back, after all. 

Now, go out and get up close with those murals! 

Photos by Matt Hulbert