1. "Admiral Perry" by Kyle Holbrook and Joy Taylor, 3919 Perrysville Ave., Perry North.
Click image above for an enlarged version of the locator map for the murals explored in detailed reports below.
11. 'Gator' mural
Across the street from Perry Traditional Academy stands a mural of its namesake, Admiral Oliver Hazard Perry. Painted by a team of Pittsburgh artists led by Kyle Holbrook, 35, and Joy Taylor, 23, it depicts the famed commodore from the War of 1812 against the British and is dedicated to the Battle of Lake Erie.
Scenes of naval battle flank either side of Perry, who occupies the mural's center, dressed in military uniform. To his left are the words, "Don't give up the ship." To his right: "We have met the enemy and they are ours ..."
The artists, working with students from Perry, completed the mural as part of the Moving the Lives of Kids (MLK) Community Mural Project, a nonprofit dedicated to involving kids in public art projects during the summer months. The goal was to encompass the history of the neighborhood and its high school.
Mr. Holbrook said he wanted the mural's subject matter to send a message.
"I thought [the mural's] story was a perfect example of perseverance," he said. "I want kids to learn from that story."
Mr. Holbrook has completed more than 200 murals in Pittsburgh and more than 700 murals nationally. The MLK Mural Project also has been
First Published: August 17, 2013, 8:00 a.m.
