What comes to mind when you think of Medford? Summers by the lake with ice cream in hand? Festivals that bring the community together, no matter the season? Watching your children play at Fort Medford, or thinking back to when you were that child? Maybe it’s the rich history found in places like Kirby’s Mill. The new postcard-style mural at the corner of Main and Union Streets brings all of these moments together, capturing what makes Medford truly wonderful and unique.
The project began with Gabrielle and Tristan Sylk, owners of the Gouldsburger’s building, after they saw the “Greetings from Yardley” vintage postcard-style mural in Yardley, Pennsylvania, where their parents live. The mural, led by Tony Napoli, a former Pennsbury High School art teacher, had brought new life to the community, and the Sylks thought Medford deserved one of its own.
After more than thirty years of teaching and running the art department, Napoli retired in 2019, but his travel plans were put on hold by the pandemic. During that time, he was commissioned to create the Yardley mural. Jessica Bednarcik, one of his former art students, volunteered on that mural, and then on another project. Since 2020, the pair have completed one to two murals each year. A teacher through and through, Napoli continues to mentor Bednarcik, who credits him with playing a major role in her artistic development. She earned a BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Tony Napoli, a retired Pennsylvania high school art teacher, and his former student, Jessica Bednarcik, who studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design, collaborated on a new postcard-style mural in Medford. Napoli believes the mural will help people walk away with a more positive outlook on Medford and life itself.
The design was a collaborative effort that began in November 2025 between the Sylks, Mayor Michael Czyzyk, External Affairs Coordinator Angela Sforz, and Napoli. The goal was to create a mural similar to Yardley’s, but it quickly grew into something much more detailed. Napoli started with a sketch of the letter “M,” featuring a view straight down Main Street. After learning more about the events that make Medford so memorable, he added the letter “R,” highlighting the Dickens Festival, an annual celebration where Main Street Medford is transformed into a winter wonderland with live music, carriage rides, and more, spreading holiday cheer throughout the town. As the design evolved, Napoli and Bednarcik refined it together, and by March 2026, they began bringing the mural to life.
Bednarcik’s favorite section to paint was the deer, especially the way its antlers break the picture plane by extending in front of the letter “D.” Kirby’s Mill was Napoli’s favorite part to paint. Seeing the community’s excitement, he felt its inclusion really hit the mark. The mural places Kirby’s Mill, a historic red mill, on the far left side, while the far right features the deer along the water’s edge where the forest meets the shoreline.
The mural wasn’t just created for the community. Retirees, people between jobs, and passersby all contributed as the project took shape. As they worked, onlookers often asked if they could help. Not only did he let them participate, but he invited them into the creative process, says Bednarcik, adding that he didn’t micromanage contributions. With all murals, he guides people, lets them make their own decisions, helps them learn, and gives them confidence in their own abilities.
The collaborative spirit extended beyond painting. Drivers honked in support and the artists even incorporated personal touches into the mural. In the letter “M,” you’ll see a blonde-haired girl and a brown-haired boy, representing Bednarcik and her brother, whom she used as references. Bednarcik hopes the mural will remind viewers of their own families and inspire them to think of home each time they see it.
Napoli says it is one thing to paint a wall and another to paint a mural. But when you can turn it into a landmark, something iconic, a place for selfies or wedding photos, something that makes people’s jaws drop as they pass by, that is when you have unlocked the “wow” factor. He believes people will walk away with a more positive outlook on Medford and on life, which is his ultimate goal in every mural project.
The mural was finished on May 6, marking a bittersweet conclusion. Napoli is thankful to the people of Medford who gave him every opportunity to succeed from the very first call, as well as for their generosity in providing a great workspace and meals.
The collaboration between former teacher and student evolved naturally, Bednarcik says. “As the years went on, it became mostly the two of us working on the murals because we worked so well together,” she says. “I’ll know exactly what he’s thinking or what’s missing and we can always find a solution together.”
Bednarcik says that Napoli’s teaching style is rooted in trust. While some professors teach cautiously or project an attitude of “you can’t do this until you learn that,” Napoli “lets you jump in headfirst.”
“I think the best part about our working relationship is the foundation of respect,” she says. “He acts with full trust in your abilities. When someone else believes in you, you believe that you can do anything.”
Bednarcik, who lives in Yardley, works full-time in graphic design and marketing. She paints constantly and says that she hopes to teach art one day, like her mentor.
