Ampersand
- Artist
- Go Welsh!
- Location
- 1307 North 3rd Street, Harrisburg, PA
This 20-foot tall symbol is one of the most photographed murals in Harrisburg.
A creative and graphic designer by trade, artist Craig Welsh carefully chose the ampersand symbol as a tool to “activate” this wallspace, which is located around a corner just off N. 3rd Street.
The “&” symbol is meant to serve as a backdrop for the connection happening between the humans in front of it.
“People actually complete the mural – if it’s a couple or a family, or a group of friends,” Welsh said.
It’s also often used for engagement and wedding photos.
Welsh serves as the principal and creative director of his Lancaster-based design studio Go Welsh. He has a bachelors in architecture, a masters degree in advertising design, and a masters of fine arts degree in graphic design.
A fiend for typeface, Welsh chose the font “The Ampersand” would be in carefully.
The font used was Lustig Elements. His connection to it was personal.
Welsh had worked hard to bring the typeface, which was originally designed by the renowned typeface designer Alvin Lustig in the 1930s, to life. Starting with just 6 letters of typeface, Welsh worked with Lustig’s widow, designer Elaine Lustig-Cohen, to complete the font. Every letter and symbol of the font – including the ampersand – is made up of a combination of four geometric shapes.