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NILES — A colorful new mural in downtown Niles was created to greet community members and visitors alike for years to come.

Niles artist Taylor Smith put the finishing touches on a colorful mural located on the 2nd Street parking lots. Commissioned by nonprofit Remarkable Inc. and approved by Niles Main Street DDA, Smith’s mural features a floral concept for the space that includes the message “Keep growing in Niles, Michigan.”

Smith, a 2016 Niles High School graduate, earned a Fine Arts degree from Southwestern Michigan College in 2020. While she had done commission pieces for years, the mural was her biggest to date.

“(Remarkable Inc. President Melanie Kennedy) supported me,” she said. “I was able to get a foot off the ground to invest and do other stuff.”

Smith said she began the project at 7 a.m. Tuesday, finished around 7 p.m. Tuesday evening and returned to the site Wednesday morning to put some finishing touches on the project. While the project was a lot of work, she enjoyed the opportunity.

“It’s been a fun process,” she said. “I’ve lived in Niles for a long time so to participate in a project like this was special.”