Since 1992 the New York Junior League (NYJL) Playground Improvement Project has revitalized neglected playgrounds and parks throughout Manhattan. This year the project, which focuses its efforts on the Tony Dapolito Recreation Center and James J. Walker Park in Greenwich Village, will have a southern touch added to it.

Artist Laura Loving, who grew up in Fayetteville, Ga., will be creating two outdoor murals for the project. Both murals will feature her signature image, Lady Liberty: Lady Liberty by day and Lady Liberty by night.

The Tony Dapolito Community Center, which is adjacent to James J. Walker Park, houses the second largest Parks Department Summer Camp, after-school and weekend programs for children and senior citizens as well as affordable access to recreation programs in the city. The majority of children who participate in the multitude of programs live outside of the immediate area and belong to an under-served community. Donations from the NYJL and corporate sponsors are funding the restoration of the building.

The official ribbon cutting ceremony will take place on June 21, and the NYJL will officially unveil the renovation work and give the park back to the community during this special ceremony.

Loving’s murals will incorporate an additional amount of joy and color to the park’s renovation.

“I take everyday images and recreate them into my own animated version of the world,” Loving said to describe her work. “I consider my art to be an invention of reality rather than purely an exact imitation. I exaggerate color and shape to create art that is humorous, alive and uplifting. The evolution of my style has its roots in American Folk and Pop Art. Having lived and worked in Nice for two years, the rich artistic heritage of the French Riviera has also had a strong effect on my work.”

“I want my art to create a positive bond with the viewer,” she continued. ”Without question, making a connection with someone through my paintings is the best part of being an artist."

Loving has exhibited in solo and group shows throughout the United States and abroad. In New York, she has shown at Lincoln Center's Cork Gallery, Pratt Institute, Strut Gallery, Anthem Gallery and Trunkt Gallery. In 2005, she was commissioned to create the artwork for the Fall Cabaret Convention at Jazz at Lincoln Center. In Atlanta, Loving was commissioned to create the official serigraph for the 1998 Music Midtown festival. In 2007 and 2008 her work was featured in Saks Fifth Avenue’s Spotlight on Art for emerging southern artists. She has also shown with the Wonderwall Gallery in Cirencester, England and Chaleurs du Sud in Nice, France.

Loving’s work hangs in homes and businesses around the world, including Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, King and Spalding, Troutman Sanders, BT Radianz, The NYSE, NASDAQ, D/A Capital and Ash Hollow Winery.

Loving currently resides in New York City. She finds the energy of the city makes it a dynamic and exciting place to live and work. You can see her portfolio of works at www.LauraLoving.com.

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