The mural located on the east side of Smitty’s sandwich shop is now completed. Kendall’s Kindness commissioned the piece.
Sandy Bressner/Shaw Local News Network
“Be Kind, Pass It On” reads the new mural in downtown St. Charles, a message inspired by a local tragedy and a family’s wish to a teen’s legacy.
Unveiled last week, the mural, “Blue Eyes and Butterflies,” was created by local artist Catherine Tilly on the east side of Smitty’s sandwich shop.
The project was commissioned by Kendall’s Kindness, a local nonprofit and component fund of the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, started in honor of Kendall Maffia, a St. Charles student and artist who lost her life to suicide in 2021. The Maffia family created the organization in her memory in 2022 to support mental health awareness and offer scholarships to those pursuing careers in art.
Kim Maffia, Kendall’s mother, said the concept for the mural came from her daughter’s love for butterflies. When Kendall and her sister were little, they would get caterpillars every Easter to raise and release as butterflies on Kendall’s birthday.
“The connection we’ve had with Catherine has just been amazing.” Maffia said of the mural’s artist. “She took our mission and vision and pulled it all together and made it a really beautiful piece. It’s stunning.”
Tilly finished the mural on Oct. 5.
Artist Catherine Tilly works on a mural on the east side of Smitty’s sandwich shop in St. Charles in September. Kendall’s Kindness commissioned the piece.
Sandy Bressner/Shaw Local News Network
“I’m looking for work that aligns with the ways that I want to make an impact or serve my community with issues that I feel strongly about,” Tilly said. “Because of the mental health and suicide awareness component, I felt really strongly that it was a message that I wanted to be a part of.”
Tilly, a freelance artist and designer, often works with young artists and at risk youth. She taught art at Wheaton Academy for several years and currently has a residency at the Kane County Juvenile Justice Center, where she works with kids who are detained.
The mural depicts a flight of butterflies. The Maffias shared some of Kendall’s journals and drawings with Tilly so she could incorporate Kendall’s style in the piece. The words “Be Kind, Pass It On” and “Be the reason someone smiles today” inscribed on the mural were written in Kendall’s handwriting.
Artist Catherine Tilly works on a mural located on the east side of Smitty’s sandwich shop back in September.
Sandy Bressner/Shaw Local News Network
Tilly said the community has been very supportive during the painting process. Several bikers, pedestrians and motorists stopped or rolled down their windows to cheer her on and encourage her while she worked.
“People respond to a positive message and want that for their community,” Tilly said. “I’m just humbled to be a part of it.”
Tilly said butterflies are symbolic of transformation and possibility. She said monarch butterflies only live about a month but can travel over 3,000 miles in that time.
“They do a lot in their short lives and I think that symbolism, as it relates to young people who pass on too soon, I think that is a really important symbol; that their lives mattered, as short as they were, that they were infinitely important,” Tilly said.
Owner of the building Doug Kimber said he is thrilled with how the mural turned out. People have already been stopping to take pictures with it.
“We’re super excited and hope the community loves it as much as we do,” Maffia said. “Hopefully it sends a good message out there for the community to live by.”