Muralist Deborah Camp To Honor MacDonald Park & Unite Communities Coming Attractions: “Forest Hills Planting The Seeds of Tomorrow” Mural
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MacDonald Park murals rendering sequence by artist Deborah Camp
By Michael Perlman
Woodhaven resident Deborah Camp, an artist, humanitarian, animal advocate, art educator, mental health advocate, open mic performer and poet, and author, is an avid window and wall muralist, who inspires countless lives around Queens and beyond. She is recognized for her distinctive creative style at shops and restaurants, in addition to her book, “Musings Diner Open 24/7.” Her artwork represents surrealism, whimsy, peace, environmental awareness, uplifting messages, embracing individual uniqueness, and nostalgic neighborhood scenes.
A most recent buzz around town is “Forest Hills Planting The Seeds of Tomorrow,” Camp’s graceful, empowering, and idyllic six-piece mural that is slated to rise in historic MacDonald Park’s landscaped circular area. This harmonious project will transform six banal mismatched walls into a destination for her nature and recreation-inspired artwork, which will foster her on-site multifaceted art and educational programming that enriches the creative and multicultural spirit. It will also establish bonds between families, friends, and various communities. At the moment, her mural only exists in renderings, but the power lies in the hands of residents and businesses to bring it to fruition in spring 2026. Options are donating to the campaign via GoFundMe or in person, or becoming an official sponsor of the project as a business.
The project was granted approval through the NYC Parks’ “Art in the Parks” program. Although the murals are a year-long installation based on program regulations, hope is circulating that the murals will be painted on more durable Dibond panels and later relocated locally. Last week, the project was endorsed by State Senator Joseph Addabbo, Jr.
Camp’s mural will shed a spotlight on the roots of MacDonald Park, which was dedicated in 1933. The park is a serene retreat amidst bustling Queens Boulevard, with its wildlife and diverse tree species, flowers, and bushes, where many have been planted by volunteers. The mural will offer diverse themes and vivid details.
Longtime Forest Hills resident Steve Melnick is the founder of Friends of MacDonald Park, a volunteer group that routinely landscapes and cleans the park since 2011. After seeing a chalk mural on one banal wall, he envisioned having six murals within the circle. Feeling inspired by Camp’s other murals, he invited her to the opportunity, and the dialogue with the Parks Department resulted in a creative quest.
Melnick explained, “People sit here and are facing drab walls with grime and graffiti for years, but they will soon have murals that they can look at, enjoy, and feel inspired. The murals can become a teaching tool, and maybe people can become artists.” He also pointed to the central landscaped area, which has mulch without flowers, as another reference to the circle’s unappealing state. With the mural in place, it can be a catalyst to further beautify the surrounding ambiance.
As Camp sat alongside the mural site, a number of thoughts surfaced. “I am creating the mural to inspire children, adults, and society. When they see the mural, they can feel something and connect to all the different characters. They can also be inspired to go back to creating their art from one point by seeing a local artist in Queens creating a piece. I want my murals to be very playful, colorful, and whimsical, so visitors can get lost in a brand-new world as it surrounds them along six walls. They can feel as if they are part of the story.”
“Our population has exploded over the last 20 years, and there will be more families with children. People will need this park to relax and use it as an oasis. There aren’t many parks nearby to visit, but MacDonald Park is in the center of everything,” said Melnick.
The murals will open the door to free outdoor art in Forest Hills. Camp explained, “Instead of having to travel to a museum, now people will have the opportunity to experience art in their community, as well as have educational opportunities for children and families.” Melnick continued, “Schools are nearby, and students can come here on a class trip, explore the paintings, and take notes.”
East of the mural site is the bronze Captain Gerald MacDonald Statue, a namesake that honors the heroic WWI Forest Hills resident, who served as an officer of engineers at the Battle of Meuse-Argonne, and erected bridges and dug trenches. The naming of MacDonald Park was spearheaded by the Captain’s brother, Henry MacDonald in 1933, and the statue was designed by architect William Henry Deacy, sculpted by Frederic de Henwood, and dedicated on May 27, 1934 by Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia. The granite base inscription reads: “Capt. Gerald MacDonald; Memorial Dedicated By Forest Hills Post No. 630 The American Legion; To Those Who Served In The World War; 1934.”
When asked how WWI Captain Gerald MacDonald may feel if he were alive, Camp responded, “He would be very happy to see this park restored, and that my murals will bring joy to the community. He lived his life to the fullest and made a sacrifice to America.” She feels that he would favor the park fostering additional beauty and inspiration, comparable to how he was an achiever. Melnick continued, “I feel that he would be overjoyed that MacDonald Park is not just a place to rest, but to look at art and think.” This will be a meaningful complement to the pocket gardens that Friends of MacDonald Park helped create, and have since drawn admiration for their graceful nature.
Camp’s memories of the park date to her childhood, when she would visit with her mother, Barbara Malament, and now she is grateful for a full circle experience. “I used to love playing with the squirrels and pigeons, and I would run around and even climb the trees. When I was 7 in 1992, I was photographed adjacent to the Gerald MacDonald Statue. I had so much joy, and now I can translate my memories of the trees, eastern gray squirrels, doves, pigeons, sparrows, cardinals, and red-winged blackbirds (among other birds) right into my mural. Other children and adults have similar memories, so I would like them to feel a connection.”
Besides depicting native animals, Camp incorporated native flowers ranging from sunflowers to daisies, in addition to imaginative species. “My goal for the variety of flowers is to symbolize the diversity of our neighborhood, since everyone comes to the park to unite, have fun, and help each other. It is just like flowers growing together in one big garden,” she said.
Camp’s goal is to launch a movement. She explained her vision for her on-site art workshops, which may be held monthly, and could be a stepping-stone for additional artist programs that may encompass art tutorials and poetry readings. “I would use traditional and non-traditional tools. Children can feel inspired by the mural and write a continuation of the comic as in what happens next. They can read into the story by placing themselves in it, and paint or draw it, or use a combination of techniques.”
“I want it to be a real hands-on program, where they’re not just using canvas and paper, but using cardboard or shells that could be repurposed into a new piece of art. Part of our park is about recycling and preservation, so I want to also incorporate those elements. Kids can see a cardboard box in their house, and turn it into a masterpiece,” said Camp. Her words of wisdom continued with “Think outside of the box, while painting on the box.” Tables can be arranged in the park, where children can color, identify colors and shapes, and count how many dogs and flowers are represented in the mural and in the distance. Artistic opportunities can erect a solid foundation for early childhood.
Another objective of the murals is to achieve well-being in a smoke-free environment, based on NYC law. “Public mural art provides an oasis for people to improve their mental and physical well-being by helping them unwind from their day and immerse themselves into the pieces as an escape from their daily grind, and into a fantastical world painted on the walls,” said Camp.
Elaborating upon diversity, she emphasized her vision of the park making everyone feel welcomed. “I have intentionally left people’s faces blank, since I want a person to look at one of the people and say, ‘That could be me. That could be my sister.’ Maybe their hair or height is similar. I want them to identify with everyone.”
“Welcome to Forest Hills, but where is anything that is leaning toward children, other than playgrounds? There are no activities in MacDonald Park for children,” said Melnick, who pointed to generally older men nearby that are avid chess players. A child was crying as she wandered about, stepping into the planting area that merits improvement. “She’s asking for the mural,” he said. Then Camp added, “I have observed children who see artwork, and they are mesmerized.”
Camp’s mural and programming will build upon recent history in a diverse and unifying manner. The park accommodated the Forest Hills Tree Giveaway event from 2011 to 2015, coordinated by this columnist in collaboration with local volunteers, Four Borough Neighborhood Preservation Alliance, and New York Restoration Project. The “One Thing That’s Green” event consolidated thousands of volunteers in 2011 to plant new trees, months after the 2010 macroburst, and freestyle singer Judy Torres performed. Each August, the park accommodates the National Night Out Against Crime. West of the mural site is a large 3D sculpture, “Queens: The World’s Borough,” which was unveiled in a 2025 ceremony to honor Queens, the most diverse destination nationally. It was developed by Forest Hills residents Larry Ng and Kevin Sanichara.
Project donors are emphasizing their passion. “Helping Deborah achieve her creative vision will benefit all of us, knowing that we did some good to help a true artist who’s aiming to better the community,” said Queens Village native Mary Murphy, who is motivated by Camp’s passion, and how she turned to art to overcome childhood bullying. “I admire her brave spirit and how she makes other people happy with her art. I also wanted to contribute since she worked hard to turn painful experiences into purpose. Any size of donation will help reach her goal. It takes a village,” she explained.
Murphy admires Camp’s vibrant colors found in her six renderings. Furthermore, she said, “The theme is wonderful, since it represents how many families have planted roots in Forest Hills and Queens. I especially enjoyed her mural where children of different ages and ethnic backgrounds are planting a tree together, because it symbolizes the rich diversity of Queens.” The mural initiative inspired her to read about Captain Gerald MacDonald. “I learned he was born in 1882 and died in 1929. He was so well-regarded as a person and for his military service, that the community dedicated a statue and a park in his name.”
Manhattan resident Marianne Dove, who has not stepped foot in MacDonald Park, said, “I look forward to visiting, now that I know a beautiful mural by Deborah will be painted soon. Her work is amazing. Captain Gerald MacDonald would be pleased that the park is being beautified.”
June Chow, a Sunnyside resident explained, “I contributed to Deborah’s project, since it is worthwhile, and benefits the community and visitors alike. Her renderings are whimsical, and children will certainly enjoy them, but adults too.” She admires all of her drawings, but the rendering featuring a large happy sun granting life to birds, squirrels, and smiling colorful flowers is her favorite. “The colors are bright and cheery, which will enliven the park.”
Larry Ng also commented on his favorite renderings. “I appreciate how the murals depict young children playing and having fun. I also like Deborah’s concept of featuring children with no faces, so that children viewing the mural can project their own face, as if they were part of the mural. I am sure the project will bring a smile to everyone, especially young children. Her mural will make MacDonald Park an even better place to visit.”
All the way from Bay Ridge is Esther Alvira, a former early childhood teacher, who immediately recognized the value of Camp’s project. “It was my pleasure to donate. I love the mural for its simplicity and childhood appeal. It promotes a sense of community and well-being, and is very inviting and inspiring,” she said.
After the pandemic, people are increasingly aware of how integral green spaces are, according to Melnick. “We want to preserve MacDonald Park, and with Deborah’s art, this is an additional door. People need to come for fresh air, relax, and enjoy themselves.”
Camp and Melnick observed a father and his two young children within the circle, and she ran over to present her mural renderings. The children immediately began commenting about their favorite aspects, and eagerly wished to see her murals implemented. “Children find art engaging, and they want to experiment with different ways to create art. They comment on what they see, and then it builds into a story, and then they can share it with their parents and friends. We are literally ‘Planting The Seeds of Tomorrow,’” said Camp.
To benefit a noble community cause, donate and share the mural fundraiser campaign: www.gofundme.com/f/forest-hills-planting-the-seeds-of-tomorrow-mural. For inquiries, follow @Artbydebcamp on Instagram and www.facebook.com/deborahcampart.
