The Wright Center ‘The Good of the Hive’ Artist Lecture

Travelers on the 200 block of Mifflin Avenue in Scranton have noticed a buzz of activity over the past several weeks, as muralist Matt Willey creates his unique work of honeybee art for his initiative, “The Good of the Hive,” on the side of the Civic Ballet Theater building. A world-renowned mural artist who is raising awareness about the importance of pollinators through his art, Willey has been painting the bee mural since late August.

His newest painting brings Willey closer to his personal commitment of hand-painting 50,000 honeybees — the number of bees in a healthy, thriving hive — in murals around the world.

Lackawanna College, the academic sponsor of the mural project, will host a lecture by Willey on Friday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. at the school’s theater, 501 Vine St., Scranton. Seating for the free event, which is open to the public, is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Willey is an artist, an activist and environmentalist. His work aims to spread knowledge about the pollination process, the importance of honeybees in the world, and spark deeper conversation using bees as a metaphor for the health of human communities.

The completed mural at the Civic Ballet Theater, 234 Mifflin Ave., Scranton, will be unveiled during a special reception on Friday, Nov. 4 at 5:30 p.m. Light fare will be served during the event.

“We are honored to be the premier sponsor of this unique mural project that will be on display in our city for years to come,” said Kara Seitzinger, director of public affairs and advisor liaison to the president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “Matt’s work is inspiring communities around the world to think collectively, in the same way that honeybees do. The health of a honeybee hive is the perfect metaphor for the health of a community.

“We encourage the community to attend his lecture to hear his fascinating story and insights,” she added.

Willey has shared the stories of “The Good of the Hive” through speaking engagements around the world, at the United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the German and French Embassies in Washington, D.C., Smithsonian’s National Zoo, Duke University, Georgetown University, the Planetary Health Alliance 2018 annual meeting in Scotland, many podcasts, including the National Education Association, and educational institutions throughout the U.S.

His work has been featured in The New York Times, Reuters London, The Today Show, The Huffington Post, The Washington Post, and countless other publications and media channels. 

Willey’s mission is to ignite radical curiosity and active engagement around planetary health issues through art, bees and storytelling. His vision is a world filled with people that see and experience the beauty and connectedness of all things.

“The hive I’m creating is a metaphor for us all: no matter your color, nationality, religion, gender, age or economic status. This piece of art is an idealized picture of health to focus on as we work toward solutions,” Willey said.

The worldwide mural project demonstrates perseverance in the face of adversity. Six years into an estimated 20-year project, Willey has created 35 murals and installations with over 8,600 hand-painted bees. He has reached hundreds of thousands of people and created large-scale works at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington D.C., Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in New York City and Burt’s Bees Global Headquarters in Durham, North Carolina.