Missing Zebra Returns to Atlantic City

Stephanie Segal Miller (center) with her “dazzle” of assistants, artists (left to right) Emily White, Tabitha Brown, and Dylan Caccamesi, and contractor JD from JDR Services. Photo by Sydney Vuong, 2025.

We didn’t need any special permits to bring Stephanie Segal Miller’s zebra back to Atlantic City, so we did. "It was a joy to return to Atlantic City,” Stephanie says. “The community welcomed me back with open arms, children zipped by on bicycles and visited with us after school, residents stopped by to talk, offered us food and drinks, and there was the happy surprise from a woman who told me her grandson had memorized the text, which celebrates each person’s uniqueness.” 

“Every zebra’s stripes are unique, just like the fingerprints of that other exotic, fascinating, unique animal – the human being. You!”

Stephanie Segal Miller with Tina Notaro, ACAF’s program manager.

Stephanie adorned this positive message on a 50-foot wall in the Northside neighborhood, spelled out emphatically in large black-and-white capitalized text, and validated by the larger-than-life illustrated zebra standing proudly on the adjoining page, a spread inspired by the artist’s original children’s book U is for Urial: An Animal Alphabet.

When Stephanie first painted her Z is for Zebra mural in 2021, residents and neighbors of the nearby Shore Park Hi Rise visited with the artist at work and shared compliments and stories, admiring and engaging with the piece in their own unique ways. Whether it was assisting a grandmother in teaching her grandson to read, or serving as the exotic background in product photos for a custom sneaker designer who lives next door, the zebra was a well-loved creature in an often overlooked, in-the-cut neighborhood.

In the years since, underlying insufficiencies in the wall required repair and complete removal of the mural. Without adequate preparation to the wall surface, any mural is subject to accelerated deterioration from natural elements like sun exposure, humidity, rain, and freeze-thaw cycles. Long-lasting murals also require a UV-protective clear coat to guard against sun damage that dulls dark and vibrant colors, and an anti-graffiti coating to protect against vandalism. The Atlantic City Arts Foundation maintains an ongoing partnership with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) to seal, protect, and clean outdoor murals in support and service to public art and its preservation.

Thanks to our recent NJEDA funding, ACAF worked with JDR Services to resurface and prep the wall for the zebra’s triumphant return, which included scraping off a decade’s worth of paint layers, grinding down uneven surfaces, and applying multiple coats of primer. This thorough effort will add years to the new mural’s longevity.

Stephanie, a former Atlantic City resident, recently relocated to Florida with her husband Joel, where she has been exploring new mediums in glasswork and jewelry.  An 18-hour drive brought her back to town, with local accommodations generously provided by Cozy Cohost and their hospitable team (thank you Alanna!), and supplemented by additional support from our friends at Cardinal Restaurant and Hayday Coffee in the Orange Loop. 

Upon her arrival, overcast skies and mild temperatures were “perfect” conditions for Stephanie to begin work with her team of local assisting artists: Tabitha Brown, Dylan Caccamesi, Emily White, and Nadia Chiorazzo. Starting with a measured and marked chalk-line grid, Stephanie instructed her assistants through every step of the process. Slowed only briefly by the errant springtime rainshower, cloudy skies gave way to warm and sunny days, where paint met primer at an efficient pace.  

Stephanie instructing assistants Tabitha & Nadia. Photo by Sydney Vuong, 2025.

Emily White works on adding the mural’s title to the wall.

Over eight days, including Stephanie’s observance of the Sabbath, a lost artwork was restored. In that brief time, many of the same residents and neighbors who had witnessed the mural’s initial arrival, slow destruction, and ultimate removal, now welcomed its return with gratitude and hospitality.

According to Stephanie, the best view of this piece is from just beyond the next-door driveway, where two verdant hedges flank the zebra, peeking out from between the green leaves. 

The best view of this piece, according to Stephanie, from just beyond the next-door driveway, where two verdant hedges flank the zebra, peeking out from between the green leaves. Photo by Sydney Vuong, 2025.

Atlantic City’s Mural Scene is on the Rise—Per Capita, Keeping Pace with Mural Capital Philadelphia

Atlantic City’s not-so-distant cousin Philadelphia was recently recognized by USA Today for the second time in three years as the “Mural Capital of the World” and the nation’s best city for street art. This is largely due to the stellar efforts of Mural Arts Philadelphia, which has overseen the installation of 4,000 murals since its inception in 1984. We tip our hats to the exceptional accomplishments and well-deserved recognition for Philadelphia’s public arts achievements (and cheer on the recent E-A-G-L-E-S mini mural in honor of their championship run). 

But let’s look deeper into the numbers. Philadelphia boasts 4,000 murals for a citywide population of 1.5 million people; Atlantic City is proudly home to 102 murals and counting, for a population of approximately 40,000 full-time residents. This means that while Philadelphia is about 40x larger than Atlantic City, both cities maintain the same number of “murals per capita” given their population size. This is cause for civic pride and enthusiasm behind our local efforts at the Atlantic City Arts Foundation to foster opportunities for emerging and established artists to utilize our public spaces as canvases for their creativity. 

Of course, full-time residents are only part of the story here in Atlantic City, where tourism tops a whopping 27 million visitors annually. Visit AC is renewing their efforts along with our local Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce to continue their part in attracting tourists and visitors to our city. While Atlantic City has unique gaming and convention attractions that bring people to our city, it is important to note that 80% of all tourism in the United States is driven by arts, cultural heritage, and history. We have a huge opportunity as a local arts community to continue to grow and become an increasingly appealing tourism destination through our community's embrace of the arts. 

Recently, muralist Heather Deegan Hires installed ACAF’s 102nd mural, located at 2600 Pacific Avenue. The mural, titled Blooming into a Beautiful Neighborhood, was designed by local high school student Rai Chowdhury, and commissioned by Chelsea EDC to highlight their work with C.R.O.P.S. in establishing the Farmers Row food hub. We invite the public to join us at 4 pm on Friday, May 2, 2025 for an unveiling celebration to recognize the 102nd mural in Atlantic City and draw attention to the exciting work underway at Farmers Row.

This year, the Atlantic City Arts Foundation is overseeing three mural refurbishments (Close Encounters, Mind Power, and A Little Bit of Everyone), three mural reinstallations (Z is for Zebra, NJ Osprey Project, and Oystercatchers) and two new mural commissions. These mural projects are supported by a generous grant from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, and you can read more about its transformative effect on our organization and community in a separate blog. We will discuss and share the timeline for each of these projects at our upcoming Spring Arts Mixer on May 7 at Anchor Rock Club! Don’t miss this chance to learn more about public arts in Atlantic City while connecting with other artists and creatives who love it here.

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