09/27/2026
“Ultimately, I hope these murals give people somewhere beautiful for their minds to wander.” - Jen Hill
Meet North Carolina muralists Liz Haywood and Jen Hill, the artists behind a series of vibrant new murals at the recently opened Stephen M. Morris Behavioral Health Center.
Liz Haywood is a North Carolina based muralist, painter and public artist whose work grew from a background in painting and graphic design. Her colorful work often incorporates plants, animals, portraiture and other elements inspired by the natural world. She loves using bold color and oversized imagery to transform spaces and make them feel “more joyful, welcoming, and alive.”
Charlotte based artist Jen Hill has been a full time artist for about a decade. After studying Studio Art at East Carolina University, her work expanded into painting, murals, printmaking, textiles and mixed media. Inspired by pop art, nature, pattern and nostalgia, her work is bold, bright, expressive and intentionally a little imperfect.
Public art has become an important part of Jen’s practice because it meets people where they already are. “You don’t have to walk into a gallery or know anything about art to experience it,” she shared.
For the Stephen M. Morris Behavioral Health Center, Liz and Jen created murals for four outdoor courtyards, each inspired by a different region of North Carolina: the Piedmont, coast, mountains and Sandhills. Layered landscapes, changing skies and fields of color create a sense of depth and connection to nature.
“We wanted the murals to offer a small connection to those experiences and make the courtyards feel like places that were thoughtfully created for the people spending time there,” Liz said.
The hope is that the murals offer moments of curiosity, comfort, beauty or peace to the patients, families and staff who experience them.
Learn more about Liz at lizhaywood.com and Jen at jenhillpop.com.
Photo credit: Brooke Brown
