05/24/2026
Have you seen the new mural on the west side of the Main Library? We love it so much! What's your favorite detail?
About the mural, from artist Kayla Newnam:
"Desert Stacks and Midnight Scholars" is a celebration of imagination, curiosity, and connection, transforming towering bookshelves into a colorful desert landscape where owls quietly inhabit the stories around them. Often associated with wisdom and observation, the owls act as subtle guides throughout the mural, while whimsical patterns and vibrant colors echo the quiet energy of the desert at night. Hidden details, contributed book titles from library and City employees, and a winding cactus weaving through the composition invite viewers to slow down, explore, and discover something new with each visit, much like wandering through the library itself in search of the next adventure. The mural also incorporates lattice patterns and blooming cactus flowers inspired by Susan Furiniâs 1986 relief sculpture In Pursuit... on the buildingâs façade, creating a connection between the artwork, the libraryâs history, and the surrounding desert landscape.
Kayla Newnam is a Phoenix-born mural artist and founder of Out There Murals. Her work is focused on creating vibrant, site-responsive murals that transform spaces through color, pattern, and play. Inspired by the Sonoran Desert, travel, and the unexpected beauty found in everyday environments, her work blends whimsical imagery, native flora and fauna, and bold layered compositions to create immersive spaces that invite curiosity, connection, and joy. She received her BFA in Painting from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY and has since worked on creating bigger and bolder works. Since founding Out There Murals in 2019, Newnam has completed more than 100 murals across 19 U.S. states as part of her ongoing â50 States Project,â traveling in her art camper to collaborate with cities, businesses, and communities across the country. Her work ranges from intimate interior murals to large-scale exterior installations. Through her work, she aims to create public art that feels welcoming, energetic, and deeply connected to the places where it lives.
