If you haven’t been down to Riverside lately, or even if you have been, you might be missing one of the region’s most impressive murals that explores the rich history, and vibrant modernity, of East Providence.

The large painting that overlooks the Providence River on the western edge of Crescent Park is a sight to behold, and is the brainchild and labor of love of Bonnie Turner and Charles Clear III, a pair of experienced and well-established artists from Lincoln, RI that form arts group, The Art of Life.

It’s not their first foray into the East Providence arts scene either. About a year ago, they celebrated with city officials at the completion of their mural celebrating the Pokanoket Tribe — the native inhabitants of Sowams, which for thousands of years encompassed what we now know as a large portion of southeastern New England, including modern East Providence.

That 24’x-28’ mural, which can be seen on a building located at 9 Warren Ave., utilized the likeness of Dr. William ‘Winds of Thunder’ Guy, the present day Sagamore of the Pokanoket Tribe and the 10th great-grandson of Massasoit, who brokered a peace with English Pilgrims and helped them survive their first winter in the New World.

The new mural, which stretches over 200 feet along the roughly 10-foot retaining wall of the park’s central lawn, intends to portray a vibrant “celebration” of the past, present, and future of East Providence, spanning from left to right.

The mural pays homage to the Pokanoket Tribe on the far north side (the left side of the mural when looking at it), featuring an indigenous woman in traditional dress in front of a tribal village. Next to her is a depiction of Rhode Island founder, Roger Williams. Behind him, within a crescent-framed backdrop, Pokanoket Tribe members wait at the shore to welcome the arrival of the Pilgrims, whose peace treaty with the Pokanoket leader, Massasoit, would be instrumental to their survival during the first winter in the New World. Beside him is a depiction of a shell-fisherman with a basket of clams, paying homage to one of the most important industries of the past.

A largely printed “East Providence” banner stretches the viewer from the past and into the present, where a bicycle-riding woman smiles in front of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse. Beside her, a toothy-smiled kid wearing a Crescent Park t-shirt symbolizes the happy present state of the city, while a baby playing in the sand sporting East Providence red and white symbolizes the untold potential of its future.

“It really is just a celebration of East Providence,” said Turner, who along with Clear III have been painting professionally for 30 years and whose work spans the region. “This has been the best, really. We’ve never worked in such a beautiful area.”

The pair are working hard down at the site each day that it doesn’t rain, and have been at it since Sept. 4. They were awarded the bid to paint the mural after a competitive search received applications from 15 different artists. A selection committee comprised of city staff and East Providence Arts Council members picked four finalists to submit conceptual designs. Three artists presented their ideas to the selection committee, who recommended a finalist to Mayor DaSilva.

The Art of Life was ultimately chosen, in part because of their experience painting large murals, and certainly helped along by their recent completion of the aforementioned Pokanoket Mural in Watchemoket Square. The mural is being painted with a budget of $36,577, which will be paid for through the City's ARPA Placemaking funds.

It is anticipated to be completed by the end of October.