Sheepshead Bay is an evolving neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY. With a rich history and plethora of cultures in the community. Russians, Turkish people, and Central Asians make up most of the area. In 1994, artist Faith Palmer-Persen created a mural representing Sheepshead Bay’s future relative to 1994. The mural contains beautiful villas on the waterfront near Emmons Avenue, piers with boats, a trolley, and local restaurants. The mural is under the Sheepshead Bay train station; passengers who exit the station see the mural as they walk to their homes or embark on what the neighborhood offers. Persen painted the mural to brighten the neighborhood; in 1994, the area was economically depressed, and not much commercial activity occurred.
Persen was born in San Mateo, California, and started her career in New York City, graduating from the Parsons School of Design. She painted many works for the MTA and U.S. National Park Service. Some of her work is in Q train stations in Manhattan; she also had a career being a consultant for AT&T and Pfizer on Block Data Systems. The Sheepshead Bay Mural was curated by Con Edison and local neighborhood leaders. In 2022, Sheepshead Bay is one of the most economically developed and diverse areas in New York City. Many condominiums, restaurants, stores, and other establishments exist. Persen’s mural did not accurately represent what Sheepshead Bay could have become; however, it is an exciting representation of what could have been. Along with the artist having a fascinating background.
