Interactive mural to be unveiled in Wheaton

A 140-foot-long interactive mural designed to promote community involvement will be unveiled Saturday in downtown Wheaton.

The mural, which consists of 80,000 stickers, was created by Jeffery James near Wesley and Cross streets.

"I was looking for something that would engage people and get them involved with the artwork, versus just coming and seeing it," said James, a Naperville resident who owns a marketing business in Wheaton. "It's just going to be really beautiful for both kids and adults."

The block-long, 8-foot-tall mural will be displayed as part of the 150th anniversary celebration of the founding of Wheaton.

From a distance, the 3-D stickers create the phrase "What is Wheaton?"

A closer look reveals that each sticker has a descriptive word. People are asked to remove a sticker with the word that best describes them. As more stickers are removed, the mural will be deconstructed.

Some downtown stores are planning to offer special deals, like free items and discounts, if someone's sticker matches the words the stores are sponsoring. Whoever finds the "unique" sticker gets a $150 gift card to shop downtown and a $100 savings bond from Community Bank of Wheaton/Glen Ellyn.

"It's really conceptual art," James said. "The idea behind it is to engage people in the idea that it takes more than living in a community to be part of a community."

James, who used to live in Wheaton, said he truly enjoyed the city once he became involved in the local chamber and moved his business to downtown.

Through his mural, he wants to share the feeling with others and hopes his piece will push people toward becoming more civically involved in Wheaton and supporting the downtown businesses.

"I just hope that people not only enjoy the display," James said, "but that they're inspired to become more involved in the community."

If you go

What: "What is Wheaton?" interactive mural unveiling

When: 9 a.m. Saturday

Where: The corner of Wesley and Cross streets in downtown Wheaton.

Cost: Free

Details: whatiswheaton.com.