A New Mural for Lake City
Photo of the new mural taken in December 2022.
A nearly three-story-tall mural at North Helpline’s Lake City service center depicts much of what makes Seattle such a special place to live.
At the bottom, bullwhip seaweed floats near an orca whale, painted in Salish tribal style. The whale looks up toward a group of traditional Duwamish paddlers and their canoe.
Near the top of the mural is a snow crested Mount Rainier. A hawk flies overhead clutching North Helpline’s logo.
Chief Si’ahi (Seattle) is painted near the Seattle skyline, overlooking the city as he watches over his people — but below the mountain “to show the respect for our mother Earth and that our land is greater than all,” said mural artist Bethany Fackrell, a Snoqualmie Tribe member. He wears a Seattle Indian Health Board logo necklace.
The recently completed mural honors the health care organization’s opening of a medical clinic at the North Helpline building.
Bethany worked with co-creator and Native Hawaiian artist Liam Miller to conceive, design and paint the 30-by-24-foot mural.
“A big thing was the canoe journey I’ve been part of as well,” Bethany said. “Our canoes come through here all the time.”
Other elements include the Space Needle, a hawk, evergreen trees and salmonberries.
You can support our community with a matched gift today! All gifts are being doubled up to $60,000 or until the new year!
As work on the mural was under way, it brought smiles to people walking by or into North Helpline, Bethany said. “I really do feel this mural has brought healing of some sort, even if it’s a little bit.
“It’s honoring to be here and see the smiles,” she said. The clinic has “been a long time needed and it’s finally here.”
Liam said he hopes the mural “can further strengthen and help unify the community, as well as bring more joy and positivity to Lake City.”
As she left work one evening, Lara-Ashley Monroe, North Helpline’s program manager, was asked if she would like to help paint some of the mural. “I said, ‘Sure,’” filling in some of the dark greenish-blue water at the bottom of the mural.
“I absolutely love the mural,” she said. “It does a wonderful job of encompassing so many parts of our community.
“The thing I love about it is it’s an outward-facing mural. Having something like this on the side of the building is an invitation to let them know it’s a hub, it’s built for the community as opposed to another building where you have no idea what goes on inside.”
Kelly Brown, North Helpline’s executive director, said people have often commented they don’t know where North Helpline is located in north Seattle. “It’s hidden even though it’s on the corner of a really busy intersection,” she said, with a Fred Meyer store across the street adjacent to Lake City Way.
The mural helps people quickly identify the building and also serve as an artistic beacon to remind neighbors and relatives of the Seattle Indian Health Board clinic’s wide- ranging services, she said.
“There’s been lots of excitement,” Kelly said. “It brings some vibrancy into the neighborhood.”