Tipp Hill mural Christina Dischiave commissioned artist David Smart to paint zoo animals on the exterior of her rental property at 521 S. Wilbur Ave. in Syracuse. (Katrina Tulloch/Katrina Tulloch)
It’s her house which she can paint if she wants to.
A rental property on Tipperary Hill has become a colorful canvas for a new vibrant mural celebrating the neighborhood’s Rosamond Gifford Zoo.
Landlord Christina Dischiave commissioned artist David Smart to paint zoo animals on the exterior of her rental property at 521 S. Wilbur Ave., directly across from the zoo entrance.
The freehand mural features penguins, an elephant, tiger, wolf, bear, raven and other animals painted on vinyl siding.
“We decided we wanted to do something totally positive for the community to embrace the Tipp Hill heritage as well as our friends at the zoo,” Dischiave said. “We’ve decided to combine it all into a beautiful mural the community can enjoy.”
The project emerged from a previous frustrating experience at the property. After an eviction and subsequent difficult renovations on the house, Dischiave said she and her partner wanted to create something uplifting for the neighborhood.
The idea came after she saw Smart’s mural work at San Miguel restaurant in Baldwinsville. Both are members of the CNY Art Guild.
David Smart Artist David Smart is painting zoo animals on the exterior of this rental property at 521 S. Wilbur Ave. (Katrina Tulloch/Katrina Tulloch)
Smart, who operates Art by Smart, has spent a couple days on the project so far.
The artist has a personal connection to the subject matter. He previously lived in Tipp Hill and interned at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. There, he worked with the elephants.
“I’m just so happy to be able to paint them because that experience changed my life,” said Smart.
Smart plans for the mural to be complete by next week.
Dischiave said the new tenants at her property have embraced the transformation. She hopes other landlords watch the project closely and consider adding art to their own rental properties.
“You don’t have to do a big crazy thing; you could add little elements of art on your house at a very reasonable price,” Dischiave said. “And it really makes a big difference.”
David Smart Artist David Smart is painting zoo animals on the exterior of this rental property at 521 S. Wilbur Ave. (Katrina Tulloch/Katrina Tulloch)
Syracuse Common Councilor Donna Moore visited Thursday to see the mural go up in her district. She said the mural brings positivity and joy to the neighborhood.
“Never heard of someone painting the front of their house [with a mural], but it has definitely brightened up the neighborhood already,” Moore said. “I was absolutely amazed by the beauty of this project.”
The project doesn’t violate any city codes, Moore said.
“You can do whatever you want to your own property, as long as it falls within codes,” she added.
The mural also incorporates Tipperary Hill’s strong Irish heritage with Celtic knots and a small reference to the neighborhood’s famous upside-down traffic light.
We’ll add more photos here after the mural is complete.
Zoo mural Artist David Smart paints penguins as part of his zoo-inspired mural on the rental property at 521 S. Wilbur Ave. (Katrina Tulloch/Katrina Tulloch)