The best murals feel like they belong. When Curaleaf opened their Forest Hills location and asked us to design the entrance wall, the goal was a piece that honored the neighborhood rather than just the brand. For our founder, this one hit close to home. Growing up in Queens meant knowing the subway lines, the parks, and the character of the area firsthand.
Starting with the Subway
The subway had to anchor the piece. We painted a full subway scene featuring the Forest Hills stop, a nod to the daily rhythm that anyone who lives there recognizes instantly. The column in the composition cuts into the frame with real depth, using the natural shape of the wall to read as three-dimensional. Details like that turn a flat painted surface into something people stop to study more than once.
Curaleaf wanted four hidden brand logos worked into the mural as easter eggs. They’re tucked into the scene in a way that rewards anyone who looks closely, adding a layer of discovery for repeat visitors and keeping people engaged longer than they normally would with any wall.
Turning an Obstacle into a Feature
Every wall has its challenges. This one had an awkward structural bump that interrupted the natural flow of the design. Rather than working around it, we leaned in. The bump became part of the composition, and from certain angles it reads as three-dimensional, pushing outward like the illustration extended off the surface. The park section rounds out the piece, sitting directly in the line of sight when customers walk through the door.
The Curaleaf Forest Hills mural works since it earned its place. It’s a specific tribute to a specific neighborhood, designed by people who understand it on a personal level. A piece that could only exist on this wall, in this block, for this client.
