A Creative Collaboration: Barrington Public Library’s “Safe Harbor” Mural
Hundreds of local voices come together to transform a stairwell into a shared work of art.
Photo by Chris Watson
A once-plain stairwell at the Barrington Public Library has been transformed by a vibrant
mural that bursts with color. Titled “Safe Harbor,” the mural incorporates hundreds of
small artworks created by community members. Anna Fischler Forrest, a recent RISD
graduate and an accomplished artist, collaborated with library director Kris Chin on the
mural’s design. Chin envisioned an artwork that would portray the library as a
welcoming, inclusive space and allow community members of all ages and abilities to
participate in its creation. Chin and Forrest discussed several ideas before settling on
the concept of the library as a safe harbor—an inclusive space offering refuge and
intellectual freedom. The mural debuted on January 10, 2026, and was funded by the
Barrington Public Library Foundation and the Friends of the Barrington Public Library.
Viewers can appreciate the mural’s energetic blend of illustration and collage in different
ways, depending on their perspective. From a distance, the mural’s overall image
becomes clear: people in different vessels—including a pirate ship, rowboat, kayak, and
raft—moving over water toward the shore and a silhouette of the library. Forrest painted
the vessels and the docks along the shoreline. She created the sails using pages from
out-of-copyright books, including texts on architecture, science, and fairy tales. Up
close, the mural is a mosaic of small drawings made by community members. The
miniature canvases draw your attention in different directions, allowing you to notice
hundreds of images, shapes, and designs—floating jellyfish, curling waves, peeking
eyes, and a handprint to name just a few. No matter how many times you stand in front
of the mural, there is always something new to discover.
Forrest held a dozen art workshops over the summer of 2025, and community members
flocked to them. She arranged worktables by the color of the art supplies, explaining,
“you guys are going to do everything that’s green, red, or blue in this image.” The
enthusiasm was palpable. “Everyone just jumped right to it.” Together, participants
created hundreds of images.
Forrest described how different participants made their “art marks.” One included a
quote by Stephen King, “Books are uniquely portable magic.” Another participant
centered the exuberant message, “The Library Rocks.” A young boy spelled his name
out in large letters, each on a separate piece of paper, which are now spread throughout
the mural. She recalled one girl drawing a Luna moth. “She was just so incredibly
dedicated to getting it exactly how she wanted it,” said Forrest. “There were a few
people who had me hold on to their piece so that they could come back multiple times
and continue to work on it.”
Forrest explained that she “designed the mural with the staircase in mind, so there was
always something interesting to see as you go up the stairs. At the bottom, you have the
guys climbing the ropes on the pirate ship. From the top of the steps, you can see
somebody looking out through a telescope at the library.” While the mural appeals to all
ages, Forrest made sure it was especially approachable to young children, who use the
stairs to reach the second-floor children’s room.
Whether or not you helped create the mural, there are plenty of ways you can engage with
it. View it from different angles, snap a selfie in front of it, or use it to play “I Spy” with your
kids. Reflecting on the impact of her work, Forrest said, “I hope the people who
contributed feel really proud of their work and proud to see it displayed in the library.
And I hope those people who didn't get a chance to contribute can see how many
people … came out to support the library and be part of this.”
*unless otherwise noted, photos taken by Anna Fischler Forrest.
*unless otherwise noted, photos taken by Anna Fischler Forrest.