Wildflowers for Buffalo

The floral motifs artist Louise Jones incorporated into Wildflowers for Buffalo were inspired by the local landscape. Based on conversations with horticulturists and on her own research, Jones identified a number of plants native to the region as the basis for this mural; these include (from top left to bottom): red clover, coneflower (echinacea), burdock, chicory, Queen Anne’s lace, thistle, lamb’s quarters, swamp rose, and yarrow. The artist was drawn to these species not only for their connection to the Buffalo region but also for their role in herbal medicine traditions as aides for bringing about well-being. Later, she supplemented this selection of flora with what she called “special cultivated guests”: strawflowers and pussy willows that she encountered thriving on a farm in Eden. At 80 feet tall by 160 feet wide, Wildflowers for Buffalo is the largest mural of Jones’s career and the largest AK Public Art Initiative mural to date.