Renowned Evanston Muralist Paints a Vision of the City's Future

It may seem hard to imagine what your city may look like in the year 2020. Yet the children at Evanston’s Haven Middle School caught the vision of nationally renowned muralist and Evanston native Paul Barker through his mural entitled Evanston 2020.   With Evanston’s concern for the environment and residents who desire to make a difference, the painting which portrays a completely “green” city is something for which we aspire.

Barker’s work can be seen all over the US, but his hometown of Evanston is where he feels most comfortable.  This past summer during Evanston’s Custer’s Land Stand Festival of the Arts, Barker stood on the corner of Custer and Main and created his vision on a 5 foot by 18 foot canvas of what the intersection could look like in 2020.  Denise Taylor, a teacher at Haven Middle School passed by and after talking with Barker- he donated the mural to the middle school.  Last week, Barker presented the mural to the students and talked with them about how they can make this vision a reality through active participation with the environment and helping Evanston become a leading city for change.

Many flock to this great city for its’ attention to the arts, environment and its residents.  It’s a city that seeks to continue to grow and stretch its arms to embrace the changes that will bring about the greatest good for the community and environment in which they live.  It may not be long until we see Barkers’ dream become a reality! 

If you’ve been considering a move to Evanston, let me know!  I am a huge proponent of all this city has to offer and I’d be happy to show you around! 


Judy Newton
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Coldwell Banker

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Read the entire story on Barker's donation to Haven Middle School