What started as outrage over a damaged mural has turned into something bigger: a coordinated effort to protect Fremont’s public art for the long haul.
A group of volunteers gathered at the corner of N. 35th St. and Fremont Ave. N. on Feb. 26 to begin cleaning the Still Life mural. It was damaged in November after a guerrilla marketing company plastered concert posters over the 1994 painting.
Two days later, a separate volunteer crew showed up at the N. 46th St. underpass at Aurora Ave. N. to repair fresh tags on the mural there. Both efforts are connected to a newly forming volunteer network called Keepers of the Quirk.
Still Life: From damage to restoration
The Still Life cleanup drew volunteers from the Fremont Arts Council, Fremont Neighborhood Council, and building owner Blueprint Capitol. The group spent roughly seven hours scrubbing wheat paste and graffiti from the mural’s surface. Work continues: one more cleaning is needed, followed by paint touch-ups by artist Loren Ponder and an anti-graffiti protective coating.
Rob Hill, asset manager for Blueprint Capitol, said the effort changed his perspective. “I learned very quickly that it’s not just about one piece of art, one mural, or one person,” Hill said. “It’s community. It’s passion. It’s the people.”
Artist Parris Broderick, who painted the Still Life mural in 1994 and is now retired and living in New Mexico, responded to news of the restoration on Instagram. “Thanks to all of you who pitched in to restore the mural in Fremont,” Broderick wrote. “Much love to you from Santa Fe.”
A community celebration is being planned for March 26 during the Thursday Night Market.
46th Street: A longer road to stability
The mural beneath the Aurora Avenue underpass at N. 46th St. has faced a longer maintenance challenge. The 2010 work by artist Todd Lown was commissioned by Fremont and Wallingford neighbors through a City of Seattle Neighborhood Matching Fund grant, with the Fremont Neighborhood Council serving as fiscal sponsor. Over the years, responsibility for upkeep became unclear as the original steering committee members moved on.
By late 2025, the mural had accumulated more than 13 tags. In January, Caroline Sayre, an FNC board member, coordinated a response involving Urban ArtWorks, the City of Seattle’s Graffiti Program, and the FNC. The result: Urban ArtWorks completed a professional repair in late January, funded by a $600 FNC contribution, with paint provided by Paul Jackson, director of the City’s Graffiti Programs & Initiatives.
“What we’re aiming for is full restoration to the mural’s original condition,” Sayre said.
Keepers of the Quirk volunteers returned to the mural Feb. 28 for additional touch-ups, bringing a ladder, brushes, and paint to cover new tags that had appeared since the January repair.
Building something lasting
Both efforts feed into Keepers of the Quirk, a rapid-response volunteer team being organized through the Fremont Creative District in partnership with the Fremont Arts Council, Fremont Neighborhood Council, and Fremont Chamber. Caroline Sherman, FCD interim secretary, created a signup form and is coordinating recruitment on the district’s behalf.
The group is looking for volunteers with a range of skills, from graffiti removal and anti-graffiti coatings to masonry, art conservation, and access to equipment like pressure washers and scaffolding.
“When a city government repairs a monument, it’s a transaction,” said Amber McMorrow, president of the Fremont Arts Council. “When the community comes together as Keepers of the Quirk to do it, it’s an act of love and unity.”
A signup form is available through the Fremont Creative District.
Disclosure: The author participated in the Feb. 26 Still Life mural cleanup and serves on the Fremont Neighborhood Council board.
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