A Gentle Power
- Artist
- Dionn Reneé
- Location
- 44 Hanover Rd, Harrisburg, PA 17104
Painted during a heatwave in the summer of 2025, this mural of a young girl holding a leopard cub spreads a message of strength, innocence, and hope.
For artist Dionn Reneé Williams, painting it was no easy feat.
“I was very sick and I was mourning,” says Williams, who had just lost her mother at the time. “And it was super hot — it was the hardest painting I ever had to do.”
She pushed through it all with the goal of creating a piece for the community that would inspire passersby to feel seen and stand in their own greatness.
The mural is her tallest piece of art to-date.
“I wanted to paint more than just a picture,” says Williams. “I wanted to recalibrate the energy of the space with bright colors and a positive message through the art.”
She says community members began seeing themselves in the art while she was working on it.
“There was a little girl who walked by. She asked me if that was her that I was painting,” the Harrisburg artist recounts. “It’s not just a picture – it’s a mirror and a motivator.”
Some of the kids became more than just admirers.
“I let some little kids do some of the easier parts,” Williams says of the mural painting process.
She credits community members and Sprocket’s 2025 Muralfest artist assistant Reina Wooden for keeping her spirits high during the process.
Photography by Landon Wise. Aerial photograph by Michael Yatsko Photography.
The Artist
Dionn Reneé
Dionn Reneé, a native of Harrisburg, PA, is the owner of The Dionn Reneé Studios. She is globally recognized for her work as a fine artist, graphic designer, and photographer throughout the entertainment industry. Most notably, Dionn Reneé, has been named ‘Selected Creator’ by Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. and Columbia Tristar Marketing Group, Inc. for her original artwork in the global marketing campaign for the film, The Woman King.
Made Possible By
- Harrisburg Housing Authority (HHA)
- South Harrisburg Choice Neighborhood Plan