Just Before Fall

Just Before Fall by artists James Burns and Jane Golden is located in the Mantua neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Just Before Fall is a series of three murals that start at 3911 Lancaster Avenue and progress down and across the street. The property owner at 3911 Lancaster, the main mural site, owns/operates a day spa, so asked for a “nature” theme to support the holistic “mind-body-spirit” approach her salon promotes. The beautiful, falling leaves are meant to represent a change that transcends the seasons. The leaves fall from the majestic tree and move through the murals on the opposite side of the street, which incorporate images of community leaders and youth. In one vignette, a woman looks back on her life. In another, a young boy looks forward to the future. Mosaics were incorporated to create a sense of “environment,” connecting the murals to the sidewalk pavers commissioned by Pennsylvania Horticultural Society/Philadelphia Green Program as part of an adjacent project.