Mural 01
By Pamela Patton
Photo by [Peasant Life]
Michigan artist Chelsea Hensbergen is a muralist known for “painting magic into the mundane.” Working under her company, Earth and Ether Art, she specializes in bright, vibrant, and colorful artwork rooted in themes of nature and fantasy sprinkled throughout the Metro Detroit area.
Chelsea can add one more project to her portfolio: The mouth-watering mural painted on the exterior of the new Independence Market in Clarkston, Michigan.
Photo by [Peasant Life]
Chelsea attended College for Creative Studies, studying photography and advertising before working as a marketing manager. “I was not built for a 9-5 life. So, I became a licensed massage therapist, but started painting murals at home for fun, and it quickly became another business. My first mural was in the living room of a house I was renting. I wanted to hang wallpaper with big, bold banana leaves, but the paper was incredibly expensive. I thought, ‘I could just do that myself - why not paint the banana leaves on the wall instead? If it doesn’t work out, we can simply paint over them.’”
She worked with clients in her massage practice and painted on the side for four years, but as her work became in demand, she decided to focus full-time on murals in January 2025. “And it’s just been explosive!”
Chelsea participated in the Detroit Institute of Arts’ Partners in Public Art Program (PIPA), a collaboration with municipalities and organizations throughout southeast Michigan to co-create community-driven, highly visible public works of art. Her work through PiPA caught the eye of Meijer’s Design Project Manager, Ariane Marquant.
“She asked if I would be interested in painting a mural at the new store. Of course, I said yes!”
Photo by [Peasant Life]
The mural, which measures 15 feet tall by 87 feet long, features bountiful produce grown in Michigan. A brilliant bunch of grapes bursting with juice rest near gigantic round pumpkins. A bright green and ruby-red slice of watermelon as large as a Volkswagen Beetle teeters beside a handful of colorful orange carrots. A royal purple head of cabbage sits beside a pile of Michigan apples, accompanied by a bunch of red cherries. The mural will also showcase deep blue blueberries, lively green pears, sunshine-yellow ears of corn, and brilliant red three-foot-high strawberries.
“It’s done in an impressionist style, like Monet’s water lilies. That piece is defined by loose brushstrokes and dashes of color. I’m painting most of the mural in that style, but instead of brushstrokes on the fruits and vegetables, it will have layered handprints of community members from all ages, backgrounds, shapes and sizes blended in””
Photo by [Peasant Life]
A work this size requires the artist to paint an underlying grid. Instead of lines, however, Chelsea’s grid contains smiles, hearts, and Xs and Os. She has also added positive affirmations of love, peace, and joy to the upper level of the grid. “I know people won’t be able to see them, but I wanted the mural to create a positive feeling in the viewer. Intentions are impactful and I just want people to be happy looking at it.”
As with her other public murals, Chelsea wants the community to do more than look at the mural; she wants people involved. “It’s done in an impressionist style, like Monet’s water lilies. That piece is defined by loose brushstrokes and dashes of color. I’m painting most of the mural in that style, but instead of brushstrokes on the fruits and vegetables, it will have layered handprints of community members from all ages, backgrounds, shapes and sizes blended in. That way, every time people go to the market, they can look at the mural and feel a sense of pride because they are a part of it.”
Photo by [Peasant Life]
The mural will be visible from far away; however, in front of one section, there will be a patio with seating, making it the perfect place for shoppers to enjoy lunch, coffee, or food from Honcho A-Go-Go in the new café, while they get a closer look.
“While people are participating in the community event, I just want everybody to forget about reality for a second and have some fun. Be messy with paint, come together, and feel like we’re all a part of something bigger than ourselves.”