by BECKY GOFF
Little Apple Post
MANHATTAN - Sunset Zoo in Manhattan honored muralist, Phyllis Pease, who painted the first mural on City of Manhattan property in the zoo's Expedition Asia exhibit.
The mural depicts scenes to reflect the history of how the zoo was started as a WPA(Works Progress Administration) project.
The WPA was started in 1935 as one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal programs providing jobs during the Great Depression. The WPA funded building programs geared towards community and public improvements.
Originally, the zoo's land was intended for an expansion of the Sunset Cemetery, but the ground was determined to be too rocky for cemetery use.
The mural incorporates the original animals along with current animals living at the zoo.
The mural was commissioned by long-time zoo support Mimi Balderson, who asked for the mural to depict the history of the zoo and the WPA aspect as well, in memory of Chuck Jackson, longtime Sunset Zoo advocate and supporter.
"It's, it's amazing, I'm so glad...I'm lucky that they didn't like cast a net out wide, because I'm sure there's other people...I've done art outside, and murals outside, but nothing quite this large." muralist, Phyllis Pease says.
The mural is located in the lower Amur Leopard viewing area in the Expedition Asia exhibit.