Wellspring Living is pleased to announce a live mural project at The Home Depot Backyard’s 2022 Summer Movie Series and Juneteenth Celebration in partnership with The Home Depot Backyard, Behr Paint Company and The Renee Montgomery Foundation.

“We are so excited to be a part of The Home Depot Backyard’s Juneteenth Celebration where people from all over the Metro Atlanta area will come together to celebrate culture, unity and freedom,” said Wellspring Living Executive Director Mary Frances Bowley. “The Home Depot is a valued partner and pillar in our community; it is always great partnering with them to bring awareness to the reality of sex trafficking and the transformation that is possible for survivors through our mission.”

Local artist Ashley Bella, who has completed three other murals across Atlanta for Wellspring Living, will lead this project. Bella is a talented artist who has spent more than a decade dedicated to driving social change through mental health services, social work and community involvement. “This mural represents the similar focuses of both Wellspring Living and the black community – which is transformation and freedom for people who have been oppressed and also how communities and individuals have come together to find ways to fight for the freedom of people who may be too vulnerable to do it them to fight for themselves,” shared Bella.

Bella exclusively uses BEHR® Paint in all of her mural projects and recently spearheaded a unique partnership with the well-known paint company to receive a donation of 39 gallons of paint for this celebratory project. "We are thrilled to bring this project to life with Wellspring Living and The Home Depot Backyard," said Jodi Allen, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Behr Paint Company. "With our mission to make life more colorful, this was a perfect opportunity to positively impact the local community alongside our exclusive partner The Home Depot."

The mural project is also sponsored by The Renee Montgomery Foundation, an Atlanta-based non-profit which is dedicated to assisting youth, women, families and those in underrepresented communities through innovative and rewarding activities.

In connection to The Home Depot Backyard’s event emphasis of Black music and entertainment, Bella’s piece will depict a sex trafficking survivor who has found music and the arts as an outlet that allows her to be hopeful and optimistic and gives her the courage to pursue freedom by continuously growing into the most authentic and honest version of herself. The survivor becomes her own anecdote to what freedom represents and how music inspires it.

The community is invited to come out to the free event on Saturday, June 18 at The Home Depot Backyard. For more information, visit thehomedepotbackyard.com/events/juneteenth-celebration.