ABSLTLY AMZNG ANMLS is on display in Salt Lake City, created by Children in our Community
A three-hour creative workshop with local kids and celebrated artist Dallas Graham has blossomed into a sculpture mural downtown.
On Friday, The Blocks Arts District and artist Dallas Graham unveiled ABSLTLY AMZNG ANMLS, “a whimsical, large-scale art installation.” Located at The Aster on 265 S State St., the palette-rich public mural is a portmanteau blending threatened and thriving animals created by medically fragile children.
Dallas Graham is a long-time artist and creator of the Red Fred Project, which publishes children’s books created by children with rare diseases. Expanding on the project, Graham collaborated with five local kids to co-create this public artwork, which they saw for the very first time on Friday morning.
The Salt Lake-based artist believes in children’s creative abilities no matter their situation, adding that they are more than their disease or situation, “they just want to be known for their brains and their hearts and their ideas,” he said.
An “I believe in you” moment
Friday morning’s event was in collaboration with The Blocks Art District and Creative Mornings SLC, a local organization that connects creative leaders with community members. Creative Mornings hosts a monthly lecture series to spark interesting conversations and unique collaborations—September’s theme is ‘blossom.’ As the speaker and co-host of the unveiling, Graham reflected on how the prompt became a galvanizing force in his own artistic journey. After losing sight of his creative spark during the COVID-19 pandemic, Graham lost touch with many of his ongoing projects, and in turn, himself. Cut to 2025, and Graham has felt called to revisit his artistic expression and connect with a new generation of blossoming artists. In his words: “I’m ready to activate.”
“All of us have unique adaptations, and it’s important to celebrate that and to figure yours out,” Graham said.
The fantastical creatures on display, combining threatened and thriving species, include a butter bear, skor, feruse, cougote, big bumble horn and a spoard. Each one is inspired by existing animals such as the American bumblebee, cougar, coyote, sagebrush lizard, spotted bat and several others. These are all species native to Utah, rooting the public mural in a sense of place and community.
“It felt unbelievable that so many people collaborated together to create something for animal awareness and something that we’d all enjoy,” Maddie, a student artist said. “It was something that I didn’t think we’d be a part of.”
With the support of local organizations and artists, these five budding artists are ready to blossom. See ABSLTLY AMZNG ANMLS for yourself at The Aster building on 265 S State St., SLC. The mural will be on display for a year.
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