Happy April! Spring has sprung, and at APF we’re marking this special time of year by launching our new People of the Parks series. People of the Parks will celebrate the deep connection Austinites feel to our outdoor spaces – and these photos and interviews might just inspire you to get out there and experience our parks for yourself. If you do, be sure to share a photo or two and tag @austinparksfdn. In the meantime, keep reading to meet our first People of the Parks!
Emma Schmidt is a cartographer, painter and illustrator by trade, but her love of nature and the world around her has been a part of her life since the very beginning. Schmidt moved to Austin in 2011, and was soon drawn to the Barton Creek Greenbelt.
“It’s more than just a city green space; it is a local landmark and beloved destination for rock climbing, hiking, biking, and swimming where locals and visitors make memories, exercise and connect with nature.”
In 2024, Schmidt pitched a dream project: painting a mural at one of the Barton Creek Greenbelt trailheads (spoiler alert: this dream project would soon become a reality, with APF signing on as a sponsor).
This project is a full-circle moment for Schmidt – a map-maker and painter with a deep love of nature. Schmidt created a piece that focuses on the intersection of community and a prized nature space while educating the public on what makes the greenbelt so unique.
Schmidt said her mom influenced her love of outdoors and the arts by sending her outside to create “nature sketches”. She’s continued to tap into these loves by hiking avidly across Austin and connecting with green spaces.
This mural has allowed her to combine her nature, map-making and painting passions in a way that showcases the beauty of Austin’s parks and habitats. Schmidt hopes that her mural invites visitors to experience the trail in a new way: to be deeply present during their time on the trail and to be in the here and now.
