The Journey

Artist

Sharnee Burnett

Location

42 Hanover Rd, Harrisburg, PA 17104

This mural was inspired by American memorist and poet Maya Angelou’s quote: “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”

Born and raised in Harrisburg, artist Sharnee Burnett created this vibrant mural of Angelou in the summer of 2025 with the hope of inspiring community members to work hard and chase their dreams.

“They can achieve anything,” says Burnett, who likes the quote because it can apply to a person discovering who they are or the process of creating something beautiful.

Maya Angelou is surrounded by flying monarch butterflies against a bright yellow backdrop in the piece. For her, the creatures hold personal significance.

“Whenever I see a butterfly, I think of my two great-grandmothers, who had passed away over the years,” she shares, adding that during the making of a mural, a butterfly landed on her wall and flew around her paints. “They had always believed in me and told me one day I’ll be somebody. I really hope they are proud of me now. They are also very important to me and my journey of being an artist.”

She hopes the butterflies in the piece bring the same feeling to children in the neighborhood.

“This is for the kids that have to grow up in the community, learn how to find themselves, and work toward what they love to do in life,” Burnett says. “Maya’s story of how she lost her voice due to a very tragic incident in her life, and then found that voice again through her love of writing with the support of people who believed in her is just amazing. It shows how strong and brave she truly was. The image that I chose of her shows her at her truest and purest self.”

This mural was Burnett’s largest to-date. She says the experience was fun but had its ups and downs. 

“Some days I couldn’t sleep due to thinking about the process and mapping out a game plan for the next day,” she remembers. “My favorite part to paint was the butterflies because they are so bright and fun. The community was very nice and supportive especially when they started to see more and more of it completed.”

Photography by Landon Wise.

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