Austin Picinich 

I have been an avid artist since age seven and every day I would pass a 112-foot blank and boring wall across from Juanita Creek beach park. Initially, the Save Our Salmon (SOS) through Art Initiative was not an initiative at all, but a simple goal to brighten up my neighborhood with one colorful mural.

As I began to research a theme for the mural, I learned the salmon in Juanita Creek were nearing extinction. As I researched further, I realized the decline of salmon wasn't unique to my neighborhood creek - the once-thriving salmon population in Lake Washington and its streams was suffering from years of neglect and pollution.

I believe that art - when combined with a community-focused purpose - can have a much larger impact and inspire others to make a difference. At that moment I knew my simple idea to create a colorful mural needed to be much bolder. I decided to create the Save Our Salmon (SOS) through Art Initiative and set three goals:

1. Brighten up the community with vibrant public art
2. Raise awareness for salmon sustainability to inspire individuals and communities to create actionable lasting restoration in local creeks
3. Engage community members in creating public art to ignite passionate volunteers by "connecting" with the purpose

The Save Our Salmon through Art Initiative has grown from one mural at Juanita Creek into a multi-faceted ongoing initiative.

Salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest have dwindled over the decades to dangerously low levels. Only three salmon were spotted in my neighborhood stream Juanita Creek in 2020. Northwest salmon are a keystone species that 130+ other marine species depend on to maintain a balanced ecosystem.

Juanita Creek – like most of Washington State’s salmon-spawning streams – has been degraded over decades due to negligence and pollution. We – as a community – had carelessly let the salmon in our neighborhood creek slip near extinction. I know how easy it is to fall into this trap because I was one of those community members who lacked awareness about Juanita Creek and its delicate habitat. It was not until I began to research a theme for my mural my eyes opened to how group action or inaction impacts the world we live in. While I might only be a high-school student artist, I recognized the potential of how community-focused art with a purpose can have a powerful impact on driving much-needed awareness to the plight of the local salmon.

SOS is having real impact. The most visible impact are the bright murals. But the biggest impact is in the community involvement with 46 community organizations and nonprofits and hundreds of volunteers coming together to become active participants in saving local salmon.

While there are local groups that work on salmon sustainability, efforts focus on restoration and have little emphasis on driving awareness on what everyday community members can do to have an impact. Because I had been ‘one of those people’ that had no clue about the urgent need for action, it was apparent to me awareness efforts were a missing link. My Community Paint Day events engage hundreds of community members who normally would not get involved. In addition, the murals themselves become highly visible advertisements reminding community members to be mindful of how their actions can positively affect salmon sustainability.

Community Paint Days are designed to be interactive and educational. I first design, outline, and color code salmon-themed designs on the blank walls in advance. Then I host Community Paint Days where volunteers of all ages “paint-by-number” transforming boring building walls into colorful murals. So far 370+ community members ages 4 to 74 have made the shift from community members to community activists as part of the SOS through Art initiative.

I also integrate an educational aspect into the Community Paint Days where community members learn how they can have an impact long after the paint has dried. For example, I partner with the North Lake SalmonWatchers program which provides onsite docents educating community members about the local streams.

I use a three-prong strategy to set up SOS through Art for success.

•Community Engagement: While I might be able to paint a mural by myself, the real power of SOS is getting community members excited about saving the salmon in their local streams. While the Community Paint Days involve community members as a key strategy, equally important are the 46 community groups and nonprofits that I team with to amplify the success of the events.

•Raising Awareness: Community Paint Days raise awareness for streams with educational activities and speakers at the event. However, I also purposely work with media partners to bring awareness far beyond the local community boundaries where the murals are. I’ve partnered with 23 local TV, print and digital media partners (for example: The Seattle Times) who help us reach an estimated 2.5 million people learn how to better take care of the salmon under their care.

•Raising Funds: So far SOS has raised $22,541 for stream awareness and restoration efforts. SOS merchandise (T-shirts, stickers, magnets, bookmarks, prints) are currently sold in 11 local shops – including Issaquah Salmon Hatchery’s FISHop gift shop. 100% of merchandise proceeds go to SalmonWatchers to further benefit stream restoration projects. I also sell SOS merchandise online and at local festivals such as Issaquah’s Salmon Days Festival and Kirkland’s Summerfest.

The SOS initiative not only invites community members to join the conversation but also offers them an opportunity to go from being community members to community activists with the help of educational and interactive salmon-themed activities engrained into the Paint Days.

For example, I’ve partnered with University of Washington biology professor Dr. Jeff Jensen (founder of North Lake Washington SalmonWatchers) who provides educational talks about his research and introduces community members to restoration projects like building egg boxes and remote site incubators they can be involved in. Many of our 370+ volunteer painters became weekly SalmonWatcher ambassadors for their local streams.

The first SOS Community Paint Day received significant media attention and has inspired other communities to get involved. The Lake Forest Park community rallied around two more SOS murals painted on two bridge barricades above McAleer Creek's culvert - art that reminds drivers of the stream below the road. I have three more SOS murals coming in 2023 (along three new streams) where even more community groups and volunteers can get engaged. "Austin has motivated literally hundreds of people to give generously their time and money, and the artwork, engagement, and education he is providing will continue to contribute to the community for many years to come." – Dr. Jeff Jensen