Teen Artist Olivia Hamm to Paint New Oak Harbor Downtown Mural

Fifteen‑year‑old Oak Harbor High School student Olivia Hamm, a nationally recognized teen artist, has been selected by property owners Jim and Carol Woessner to design a new mural in downtown Oak Harbor, Washington. Hamm previously won first place in her district for the Congressional Art Competition and displayed her work in Washington, D.C.

The mural will blend familiar local landmarks and symbols – Navy jets, Deception Pass, oak leaves, Polaroid snapshots of downtown, black mussels honoring the area's Native American harvesters, and wheat representing early settlers – along with a tribute to the missing "Island Spirit" sculpture. The project is expected to take one to two months, though the timeline may shift due to the mural’s size. Hamm hopes the finished piece will resonate with residents and capture the spirit of the community.