Scott Kowalski

This mural project in Pittsburgh’s Strip District is being created in collaboration with Humane Action Pennsylvania as part of their Love Your Wild Neighbor campaign. The initiative encourages people to see the wildlife around them not as problems to remove, but as neighbors who share the same environment.

The mural is going to depict a peaceful woodland meadow scene with a mother bear and her two cubs moving through their natural habitat. Western Pennsylvania is home to a wide range of wildlife, including black bears, and moments like this—where humans and wild animals exist within the same landscape—are becoming more common as our communities grow and expand into natural spaces.

Through this mural, the goal is to create a visual reminder that these animals are part of the region’s living ecosystem. The image of the mother bear and her cubs represents family, protection, and the quiet beauty of the natural world. By placing this scene in a highly visible urban location in the Strip District, the mural invites viewers to pause and reconsider their relationship with wildlife. Public art has the power to start conversations, and this piece aims to encourage people to approach their wild neighbors with curiosity, respect, and compassion.