An $80,000 mural splashed with fruits, vegetables and flowers was nearing completion on the north face of the Ann/Ashley parking garage along Miller Avenue as of Aug. 3, MLive reported, transforming a 1980s concrete deck into the starting point of a public art trail leading to the Ann Arbor Farmers Market in Kerrytown.
The project pairs Detroit-based artist Jesse Kassel with Memphis-based muralist Brandon Gaia Marshall. Together, they painted the garage wall and installed sidewalk art along Miller Avenue and Catherine Street, continuing north on Detroit Street to a ground mural inside the Farmers Market footprint itself.
The Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority commissioned the work through its Elevate Public Art Project, with the nonprofit Ann Arbor Art Center overseeing artist selection, design review and scheduling. Installation began in June.
Charlotte Beers, communications specialist for the DDA, told Concentrate in July that the imagery deliberately mirrors the market itself: "Essentially, what's sold in the market is reflected in the artwork." The images blend photorealistic and blocky geometric icon styles depicting produce and nature.
Why wayfinding matters here
The Ann/Ashley structure serves as the main parking area for visitors driving to Kerrytown. But the walk from the garage to the market crosses several streets and traffic signals. Beers told Concentrate that while the distance isn't far on a map, "you do have to cross a few streets. You have to wait at signals." The art trail visually connects the two, reinforcing that the garage and the market share the same neighborhood.
The Ann Arbor Art Center said in a July 23 Facebook post that the parking structure needs to stand out as a hub for visitors to the area and its long-running Farmers Market, a goal from the beginning of the Elevate project. The A2AC Murals program is funded through the Lucie and Larry Nisson Art in Public Program.
The artists
Kassel, a Detroit native, earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a focus in illustration in 2010. His style draws on vintage advertisements and Americana-inspired graphic design. Marshall leads Memphis Mural Works and has painted murals on five continents, combining large-scale painting with collage and sculpture.
The Kerrytown Wayfinding project is designated as a permanent installation. It follows earlier Elevate projects including a Liberty Plaza mural installed in September 2025.
How to find it
The mural covers the north facade of the Ann/Ashley parking structure, visible from Miller Avenue between North Ashley Street and North First Street. The sidewalk art continues along the south side of Miller Avenue and Catherine Street, then north on Detroit Street toward the Farmers Market entrance.
Upcoming community events
- Ann Arbor Farmers Market: Wednesdays and Saturdays, 315 Detroit St. in Kerrytown. The next market days are Saturday, Aug. 8 and Wednesday, Aug. 12.
