Davenport city staff and local residents recently celebrated the unveiling of “Beauty of Essence,” a vibrant mural on the west wall of Celebrity’s Beauty Supply in the Hilltop Campus Village.
Created by Rock Island artist Zay Williams, the mural features a colorful depiction of a woman with a short afro and a hair pick, alongside a cityscape made of shampoo and conditioner bottles. Funded in part by Quad City Arts, the mural aims to symbolize creativity and vitality for the Black-owned business.
Williams expressed his gratitude for the community’s support during the mural’s creation, noting how neighbors often approached him with appreciation and help, making the experience even more rewarding.
Lonnie Westerfield, co-owner of Celebrity’s Beauty Supply, highlighted how the mural has transformed the space into a safer environment for children, who now play and create TikTok videos in the area.
In addition to the outdoor mural, the Westerfields previously commissioned another mural from Williams for the store’s interior, featuring iconic figures like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., along with C.J. Walker, the first self-made female millionaire in the U.S. Brian Kramer, director of the Hilltop Campus Village, praised the mural for establishing a strong sense of place within the community.
