Ann Arbor Gets a Queer Mural with Bears, Twinks and Apple Blossoms

Muralist Samuel Turner brings Keith Haring's revolutionary spirit to Uplift

Samuel Turner in front of the mural he painted at Uplift in Ann Arbor. Photo: Andrew Potter

Published: July 18, 2025 | Last Updated: July 29, 2025

The vibrant mural covering one wall at Uplift, an LGBTQ+ bar in Ann Arbor, pulses with the unmistakable energy of Keith Haring's iconic style. A closer look reveals something distinctly 2025 and very Ann Arbor granola: bears and twinks dancing alongside references to hormone replacement therapy, lesbian carabiner code mixing with apple blossoms adorning a cheerful tree character and queer elders reaching toward divine connection in a nod to Michelangelo's "Creation of Adam." Those are just a few of the colorfully chaotic but thoughtfully organized artistic elements at play here. Much like "tree town" itself, the Uplift mural is a lot — in the best way.

For 24-year-old Samuel Turner, the mural represents both an artistic milestone and a deeply personal expression of community. A 2023 graduate of the University of Michigan's Stamps School of Art and Design, Turner landed his first fully independent commission after hearing about the opportunity from a friend who performs drag at Uplift. Turner's project has evolved from a relatively simple proposal to encompass a visual celebration of how far queer visibility has come since Haring's groundbreaking activist art in 1980s New York while capturing an earnest goal of unified queer community in the heart of present-day Ann Arbor.

"The fun thing about looking at Keith Haring's work is that it was very goofy but also direct," Turner says. "The fun part was translating this style and artistic language to be used for a modern-day context with all of these categories that have come to be represented in the community and different types of experiences that are now more clear and open to talk about than [they were in Haring's] 1980s New York."

Uplift co-owner Saharsh Hajela says Turner shared their "intense passion for the mural to explore themes of queer joy and history in a way that still remained uplifting." During their first meeting, Turner even brought in a book of inspiration with pages marked off to explore together. "We've found that oftentimes the exploration of queer themes delves into strife, struggle and loss. However, we wanted to explore the intersection between love, community and history," Hajela explains.

The team mentioned Haring as a potential source of inspiration because of his prolific works exploring queer identity in an unapologetic manner. "In his works, Haring embraces all aspects of his identity and life fully, without editing out the 'bad' parts or catering to a straight audience," Hajela notes. "We felt that using him as a reference point would evoke that same feeling of unapologetic freedom for those who view the mural, as well."

Turner's journey to this moment began unexpectedly during his university years. Growing up in southeast Michigan, he hadn't initially planned to focus on painting. "I discovered my interest in painting at U-M. It's not what I initially intended to do, but I just had a lot of fun and I found work in painting which helped motivate me to continue along that direction."

That work came through Brush Monkeys, a local company specializing in window murals, particularly during holiday seasons. The company's owners also run Treetown Murals, where Turner developed his skills through what he describes as a kind of apprenticeship where he assisted on a variety of projects.

The transition from apprentice to independent artist followed the familiar path of many emerging creatives. After graduating, Turner navigated the early career landscape that many artists know well, taking on various projects while building his portfolio and reputation. This past summer brought the opportunity to work full-time with Treetown. The Uplift commission represents an exciting new chapter for Turner — his first project as a solo artist.

When Uplift mentioned Keith Haring in their call for artists, Turner embraced the opportunity to explore an artist he'd long admired. Though he'd encountered Haring's work throughout art school and popular culture, the commission inspired him to dive deeper into the revolutionary artist's full body of work.

What he discovered surprised him. Turner found layers of Haring's art that mainstream culture had overlooked or sanitized. "It's very interesting to see the difference of what I'd seen and what the majority of his stuff is, because a lot of it is less sanitized than the stuff I would see on clothing," he explains. He went to the library to find books explaining the meanings behind Haring's characters, uncovering a rich vocabulary of symbols and references.

His primary inspiration came from Haring's "Tuttomondo" mural in Pisa, Italy. "I just liked the colors and there were enough of them that it kind of looked like a rainbow." The research revealed not just technique but an approach that married Haring's ability to be "very goofy but also direct" to spotlighting social issues of his time.

Turner's creative process involved extensive collaboration with friends in the queer community. "I started brainstorming and making a list of things that I thought would appeal to the clientele or the workers there. Eventually I started running out of ideas and I went to my friends who are also in the community," he says.

The resulting characters blend universal queer experiences with local Ann Arbor references. Bears, twinks and otters dance across the wall alongside more obscure community symbols. A tree with a robin and apple blossoms represents Ann Arbor's "tree town" nickname, while other elements pay homage to both Haring's original iconography and contemporary queer culture.

Some of the most powerful imagery carries deeper meaning. An angel touching the hand of God "ended up being about queer elders that were lost and are not here right now." The inclusion of HRT imagery reflects Turner's commitment to representing the full spectrum of queer experience, particularly transgender voices that he feels are underrepresented in many venues.

"I felt it was important to codify that this is a largely cis gay male space, but also don't forget that [trans people are] an integral part of the community that's under attack right now," Turner notes.

The mural's composition suggests movement and celebration, with a flag bearer leading the charge. "It's almost as if everybody's following this one character and the rhythm leads towards the left where people are marching. It's not like it's a literal Pride parade, but I kind of had that idea in the back of my mind."

Hajela says Turner's mural is "a colorful, bright representation of how unique our community is while also paying homage to history and those who came before us. The whole team fell in love with the design at first sight."

Turner says he feels the mural is currently limited in scope, particularly in terms of representation. "I feel like I need more femme representation because that wasn't initially in my mind. Whenever I've gone to Uplift before, it's largely millennial gay men that go there. I kind of started with what would be the funniest thing for millennial gay men to see."

Fortunately, Uplift may be interested in expansion. "I think they might be wanting me to expand the mural, which I really like, because I had such a fun time making this," Turner shares. His vision is to create a more expansive piece where everyone can see themselves reflected in his vibrant patchwork.

While working on the Uplift project, Turner has continued building his artistic practice. He's currently creating another mural at Ann Arbor Drugs, a new pharmacy on West Stadium Boulevard, and has an exhibit at Vacancy. He continues collaborating with Treetown Murals while pursuing independent commissions.