DEP Debuts Mini Mural Series by Artist Mark Walter
Excelsior Springs, MO – June 20, 2025
On a warm summer evening in Downtown Excelsior Springs, the streets came alive with color, creativity, and curiosity as the Downtown Excelsior Partnership, Inc. (DEP) hosted the debut of its much-anticipated Mini Mural Series. The series is a public art installation that introduced a new, imaginative layer to the downtown streetscape.
The walking tour event marked the completion of a two-year DEP Design Team initiative, a project delayed by funding shifts, shoulder surgeries, and location logistics, but a project well worth the wait. Four original murals, created by commissioned local artist Mark Walter, were unveiled at sites throughout the downtown district, each one reflecting a dreamlike blend of memory, nostalgia, and whimsy.
“These murals are unlike anything we’ve previously installed downtown,” said Lyndsey Baxter, Executive Director of DEP. “While we honor and celebrate our history, it can only take us so far. To keep our downtown thriving, we must also embrace change and lean into the possibilities of the future. These murals challenge us to imagine what’s next and to enjoy the journey getting there.”
Mark Walter, known for his surreal and memory-inspired artwork, described the collection as a visual expression of intentional daydreams. “Creating imaginary art is like having a vivid dream, but in an intentional sequence,” said Walter. “I start with memories of unrelated experiences and images and compress them together in one world. The result is a two-dimensional image of a daydream.”
Each of the four murals features a partially opened door, suggesting a gateway through time and imagination. According to Walter, “I like to think of these doors as simple time machines. You just put a note on the door suggesting a memory and it takes you there. Well, sort of. Like all technology, mine has a few glitches. But the surprises are what make the adventure.”
The four mural titles and stories include:
Door #1 • Please Remove Shoes
Mark’s daydream time machine took him back to the 60’s when he was surrounded by children’s books and the real-world event sounded like science fiction, with astronauts walking on the moon. Often, after returning home from playing outside all day with his friends, his mom would give him a kind command to “please remove his shoes”.
Door #2 • Watch Your Step
Mark loved making models of World War I bi-planes as a child. He would hang them up above his bed and shoot spitballs made of bite size pieces of Kleenex through a straw at the planes. Often, he ended up creating more popcorn ceiling, but occasionally a spitball would make a direct hit, and he was one step closer to becoming an ace. In his daydream another character out of his childhood literature appears to have converted bullets into bubbles to remind the pilots how fun it is to fly.
Door #3 • CatFish Sanctuary
Growing up landlocked in the Midwest, most of the time Mark spent in the water was in a kiddy pool or the bathtub. Once he learned to swim as a pre-teen, his world began to expand. He always dreamed of swimming in the ocean with unusual creatures and corals. In his daydream somehow the family cat decided he wanted to get away for an adventure too and changed his time travel sign from Fish Sanctuary to CatFish Sanctuary.
Door #4 • Don’t Feed Rex
Mark loved his dog and cat. He has had pets all his life. His first dog was a part of his life from birth until high school graduation, eighteen years of love, loyalty and play. He remembers his dad trying to keep them from giving her table scraps under the table while they ate. She was his ally in disposing of food he didn’t want to eat. Somehow the glitch of his time machine combined his interest in dinosaurs with his love for his pets.
Throughout the walking tour, attendees were treated to exclusive swag bags at each mural stop, filled with gifts, promotions and donated items from more than 20 local downtown businesses.
The Mini Mural Series is a part of DEP’s broader mission to enhance the visual landscape of Downtown Excelsior Springs and foster an environment where creativity and community come together in the historic district. As a nonprofit organization, DEP is committed to revitalizing the district through economic development, beautification projects, community events and placemaking initiatives. All of which are funded through local investment, grants, donations and partnerships.
“Art in public spaces has the power to shift how people see and experience a place,” said Baxter. “These murals are meant to do just that… Spark a sense of wonder, make you pause for a second look and invite you to see Downtown Excelsior Springs not just as it is, but as it could be. This is just the beginning of a more creative and more vibrant downtown.”
About the Downtown Excelsior Partnership, Inc.
The Downtown Excelsior Partnership, Inc. is a nationally and stated accredited Main Street non-profit organization dedicated to the revitalization and growth of Downtown Excelsior Springs. Through collaboration with business owners, local government, and the community, DEP works to enhance economic development, cultural vitality, and the overall quality of life in the downtown area.
For more information about the Downtown Excelsior Partnership, Inc. and upcoming projects and events, please visit VisitExcelsior.com.
Contact
Name: Lyndsey M. Baxter
Title: Executive Director
Phone: 816-719-9912
Email: exec@visitesprings.com
Website: VisitExcelsior.com
