Vertical Bloom
Vertical Bloom, 2025 - Angle Lake, SeaTac, WA
This mural started with learning.
Before I began designing anything, I spent time getting to know the Angle Lake neighborhood and its relationship to the SEATAC Airport. Historically, this area was home to airport workers. People who could afford to live close to where they worked and build their lives in the same community they served. That idea stayed with me throughout the entire process.
When people think of SeaTac, flight usually shows up in very literal ways. Airplanes. Runways. Industrial shapes. I wanted to approach the idea of flight differently. Softer. More organic. Something that felt alive rather than mechanical.
Instead of illustrating planes, I focused on abstract, wing-like forms that grow upward from the ground. Forms that suggest lift without spelling it out. Something that feels rooted and reaching at the same time.
The colors came next. Warm oranges and yellows to suggest movement and energy. Blues and greens pulled from the sky, water, and the Pacific Northwest landscape. Together, they create a sense of growth. Grounded, but always rising.
Vertical Bloom was created for a building that supports people of all abilities and low-income residents. At its core, this mural is about care, connection, and what becomes possible when people are supported by their community.
Final image of Vertical Bloom, a large-scale abstract mural featuring wing-like forms and flowing color, painted on the exterior of a residential building in Angle Lake, SeaTac, WA.
A Mural That Reaches Beyond the Building
This was my second large-scale mural project, and it is always an honor to paint for residential spaces. This one felt especially meaningful because of its size and placement. When a mural takes up such a large portion of a building, it stops belonging only to the people who live inside it.
It becomes part of the neighborhood.
That is one of the things I love most about public art. It becomes something shared. Something people pass every day. A visual presence whether you know the story behind it or not.
About the Space
The Angle Lake Project was designed with a lot of care. It houses individuals and families living with disabilities, and the building reflects that intention in very real ways. There are lowered counters, ADA-accessible bathrooms, and on-site services provided by The Arc of King County.
There is a play yard for kids. There are services available in the building. And it sits just steps from the Angle Lake Light Rail station, making access to the rest of the city easier.
Learning about the space and the people it was built to support made this project feel even more meaningful. It mattered to me that the mural felt welcoming. That it felt human.
Designing Around the Idea of Flight
One of the biggest challenges during the design process was finding the balance between referencing flight and not being too obvious. I wanted to acknowledge the airport and its history without relying on literal imagery.
That meant trusting abstraction.
The wing shape wraps around the south- and east-facing sides of the building, allowing the mural to move with the architecture. Near the ground, layered color adds depth and grounding. As the forms rise, they open and stretch.
I wanted the mural to feel like it was growing rather than placed there.
Installation, Support, and Asking for Help
This year came with some unexpected challenges. My husband broke his leg during the project timeline, and I found myself needing more support than usual. Because of that, I enlisted Overall Creative to help with installation.
I worked with them previously on the DESC Bloomside mural in Burien, and I love collaborating with their team. Kathleen handled admin work with the client, ran the installation team, and kept everything moving smoothly. She is incredibly organized, efficient, and thoughtful. They are deeply knowledgeable, and I truly adore working with them.
This project was also a reminder that it is okay to ask for help. This year, I needed a lot of it.
Painting Through Winter
One of the main challenges with this building was the weather. Painting in Seattle during winter means cold temperatures, and paint tends to stay wet longer than you expect. That can be tricky when working on a mural this large.
Because of the scale, you often have to move on from a section and come back to it later. Timing everything around drying windows and the swing stage schedule takes patience. Thankfully, the wall faces south, so we had sunlight most of the day, even if it was not warm.
Being on the Swing Stage
I was able to visit the site once and paint alongside Lina. Being on a swing stage is always a little scary at first. It sways with the wind and with every movement you make.
But you get used to it.
There are moments when you almost forget how high up you are. Almost. Until the wind reminds you.
There is something surreal about painting while suspended in the air. You are focused completely on color, shape, and movement, with nothing else pulling your attention.
Documenting the Process
As the mural got close to completion, Barry Johnson came out with his drone to capture progress photos and final images. I love progress photos because they show the experience of painting a space, but also how much work goes into something of this scale.
Barry took the majority of the photos for this project, and I am incredibly grateful for the way he documented the process from start to finish.
Learning From Place and People
One of the things I enjoyed most about this project was learning more about the airport, the surrounding neighborhood, and the work Mercy Housing Northwest does for its residents. I loved learning about the changes they make to living spaces to support inclusivity and set people up for success.
Projects like this remind me why I love public art. It is not just about what we see. It is about who a space is built for and how it makes people feel.
Project Background
Client: Mercy Housing Northwest
Location: 2650 S 200th St, SeaTac, WA
Year: 2025
Mercy Housing Northwest is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating stable, affordable housing and fostering thriving communities across the Pacific Northwest. The Angle Lake Project is a mixed-use development with 130 affordable housing units. Twenty-six of these units are designated for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with services provided by The Arc of King County.
The project is opened in June 2025 and was designed to support inclusivity, connection, and long-term stability for residents.
Gratitude
Thank you to Mercy Housing Northwest, The Arc of King County, Overall Creative, and Barry Johnson for being part of this project. Vertical Bloom exists because of collaboration, trust, and shared values, and I am deeply grateful for everyone who helped bring it to life.
In paint and community,
Your friend in paint,
Angelina ‘179’ Villalobos Soto
