By Anelia K. Dimitrova
A beautiful mural is taking shape in downtown Cedar Falls.
You can’t miss it.
It’s a snapshot of the community’s soul.
And it is on full display on the exterior south wall of Moxie Roots, the downtown hair styling salon at 412 Main Street.
The work of art captures what the town is – a forward-looking community that values the river, the land, the trails, the university, the schools, the business community, the music scene and neighborly caring, among other things.
Cedar Falls artist Stephanie Fever created this postcard moment, first in her heart, then in her head and then with her hands.
And now it belongs to everyone.
The visual story it tells is likely to become one of the most photographed spots in town.
Every mural eventually takes on a life of its own and this one will likely soon develop a following. It will hold a special meaning to folks who hang out here or pick it as a destination for I-do’s, makeups or breakups or just to seize the day with a selfie.
That’s the thing about public art.
It is many things all at once–a mirror, a dream, an idyll and an embrace–each expressed in images and color and in their relationship to each other.
The colors of this mural are soothing, the design is modern, representing the core of the community.
On the left side of the mural, a bike rider is in full gear — a nod to one of the highlights of summer 2025, the upcoming Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) overnight stay in town, but it is also a tribute to the tight-knit cycling community in town.
Landmarks like the UNI campanile, the Ice House Museum, the Dome, the new high school and natural treasures like the Cedar River, Big Woods Park, and the many trees Cedar Falls is known for, all under fluffy white clouds, complete the mural’s peaceful texture.
A garland of streetlights, light bulbs and some of the public art sculptures that give the downtown its distinct appearance, add to the vibe of the artwork.
What’s also special about the mural, though, is how publicly it takes shape. Its emergence–from the priming of the wall, to the drawings on it, to the use of a hydraulic lift to reach the top of the mural, to the painting of each element–it all happens in full view of everyone. And gradually, in bringing together the many landmarks in one frame, the mural becomes an indispensable landmark itself.
This is how, in this open public space, unlike the loneliness of an artist’s studio, creating art becomes a community experience.
In the past week, as the project evolved, the curious have popped in to chat with Stephanie about the mural and passing cars have honked to celebrate her efforts.
On Memorial Day, when we stopped briefly to meet her and take pictures, Stephanie shared her artistic vision briefly for the project. She then continued to paint with diligence and focus, as the end of the work was near.
A 2006 UNI grad, Stephanie said this is the biggest project she has created so far.
She has yet to come up with a name for the mural, but summed up its message for us:
“How we can come together as a community and use our imagination to grow together,” she says.