Milwaukee's Westown neighborhood blossoms with new gateway mural

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A new mural is adding a pop of color to Milwaukee's Westown neighborhood. 

Officials say the new mural, painted by Milwaukee-based artist Emma Daisy Gertel, serves as a gateway to Westown and downtown Milwaukee.

Standing 50 feet high and 80 feet wide, the west-facing mural depicts an urban garden, a metaphor for the resurgence in Westown.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Friday morning to celebrate its completion.

"My first thought was that it needed color and life," Gertel said. "This mural is meant to inspire hope, without ignoring the difficult conversations and challenges our city faces."

Gertel was selected from a pool of nearly 60 applications from around the globe. Her work can also be seen at Black Cat Alley on Milwaukee's east side.

You can find the mural at the northeast corner of James Lovell Street and Wisconsin Avenue.