The New Public Art Installation for Wake the Great Salt Lake Features Animals of the Lake to Raise Awareness of the Lake’s Decline
(PRUnderground) September 9th, 2025
The Wake the Great Salt Lake public art initiative is thrilled to announce the upcoming mural Watchers of the Shore, created by Salt Lake City-based artist Trevor Dahl. The vibrant, whimsical work will span more than 1,300 square feet of wall space at 910 West 1000 North in Rose Park. Dahl will begin production in early August.
Trevor Dahl is known for creating playful yet profound artwork filled with symbolism, improvisation, and layered meaning. In Watchers of the Shore, Dahl channels his signature style into a solemn yet joyful composition. Animals of the Great Salt Lake from brine shrimp, to birds and flies are depicted as spiritual sentinels, standing united and facing the distant city. With vivid color and expressive details, the mural calls on viewers to reimagine our relationship with nature and the lake.
“I’m excited to use my art to advocate for the lake and its creatures because they can’t speak for themselves,” said Dahl. “This project has helped me connect more deeply with the ecosystem, Indigenous stewardship, and the bigger picture of how disconnected we are from nature. I’ve always used humor and whimsy in my work to draw people in, but underneath it all, there’s always something deeper. If this mural can make someone smile and also think about the lake differently, even just for a second, then I’ve done what I set out to do.”
The mural’s position at a highly trafficked corridor where 1000 North meets the I-15 on-ramp flips the familiar perspective where the Wasatch Mountains dominate the skyline. Instead the lake and its ecosystem are the foreground and the city is a small background element, a deliberate reversal of focus. Dahl’s work is a reminder that even the tiniest organisms, like the lake’s foundational brine shrimp, are essential and worthy of reverence.
“We’re excited to bring this colorful artwork to the vibrant Rose Park neighborhood,” said Andrew Shaw, Wake the Great Salt Lake Lead at the Salt Lake City Arts Council. “While facing the Wasatch Front mountains, viewers will be reminded of the Great Salt Lake over their shoulder, and the many species, including our own, that depend on it. Salt Lake City’s West Side faces the most immediate public health effects of the Lake’s decline, and this piece is both a celebration and a call to action.”
Inspired by the artist’s consultations with the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation and the Great Salt Lake Institute, Watchers of the Shore celebrates the interconnectedness of species, ecosystems, and people.
The mural will be completed ahead of a public celebration on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, from 5–7 p.m. Community members are invited to attend, meet the artist, and engage with the full Wake the Great Salt Lake public art experience.
Media Contacts:
Media Coordinator
Lydia Martinez
Elle Marketing and Events
PH: (801) 900-6618
Email: lydia@ellemarketingandevents.com
Salt Lake City Arts Council
Andrew Shaw, Special Projects Coordinator
Wake the Great Salt Lake Lead
PH: (801) 502-3128
Email: Andrew.Shaw3@slc.gov
About Trevor Dahl
Trevor Dahl is a Salt Lake City-based visual artist known for his imaginative, symbol-rich style that blends playful characters with deep philosophical themes. Working across murals, illustration, and fine art, Dahl’s work draws inspiration from dreams, mythology, pop culture, and the unconscious mind. His large-scale public artworks invite viewers of all ages to connect with nature, emotion, and meaning through color, whimsy, and storytelling. Dahl has created art for communities across Utah and beyond, and is the founder of Good Happy Stuff, a creative studio focused on artwork that makes people feel more human. Learn more at www.goodhappystuff.com.
About Wake the Great Salt Lake
Wake the Great Salt Lake is a temporary public art project that aims to educate and inspire residents and visitors to understand and prevent the further decline of the Great Salt Lake. The project is a partnership of the Salt Lake City Arts Council, the Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office, and Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Public Art Challenge with additional support from Kem and Carolyn Gardner, the Marcia and John Price Family Foundation, the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, Zions Bank, Shaelene Gee, the Larry H. and Gail Miller Family Foundation, Lawrence T. Janet T. Dee Foundation, Delta Air Lines, and other funders. For more information, please visit wakegsl.org
About Salt Lake City Arts Council
The Salt Lake City Arts Council promotes, presents, and supports artists, arts organizations, and arts activities in order to further the development of the arts community and to benefit the public by expanding awareness, access, and participation. For more information, please visit saltlakearts.org
About the Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office
Mayor Erin Mendenhall is the mayor of Salt Lake City, the capital and most populous city in Utah, the fastest-growing state in the country. As the hub of the economy, the arts, and sports for the region, Salt Lake City is committed to fostering an inclusive, innovative, and sustainable community. With a focus on quality of life, Salt Lake City continues to be a destination for both residents and visitors alike, having hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics and welcoming the world again for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. An elected mayor, who serves as the chief executive, and seven part-time City Council members govern the City. For more information, visit slc.gov.
About Elle Marketing and Events
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