When Reama Bubblez began documenting Bremerton’s murals, she never expected it would grow into a community-driven map spanning all of Kitsap County. Now, the Kitsap Mural Finder Map, created and maintained by Bubblez through her art store Spread Supplies in Bremerton, is helping locals and tourists alike discover vibrant works of public art across the region.

Originally intended as a small project to showcase art in Bremerton, the map has evolved into a growing, user-submitted database of murals countywide.

“There’s a lot of gatekeeping around viewing art,” Bubblez said. “Murals are a way to make art accessible for everyone, which is one of the key missions of my store.”

The digital-only map now features close to 20 murals, with more being added regularly. Although the project started in 2023, momentum has picked up recently as more people learn about it through word of mouth and social media.

“It’s a way we can build a resource together,” Bubblez said.

Bubblez hopes the map will not only encourage more public art appreciation but also boost foot traffic in local neighborhoods.

“When people come out to see murals, they stop for a cold drink or a snack,” she said. “Even small purchases can support a business and help energize that area.”

Bubblez says the map also helps shine a light on the artists behind the work, particularly muralists, whose large-scale pieces are often publicized briefly before fading into the background of daily life.

“Once a muralist finishes a job, that’s it. You just hope people see it,” she said. “This gives them more exposure and invites people to explore other neighborhoods they might not usually visit.”

Among her favorite murals is one painted during a community event in Charleston, where more than 100 people helped paint the large-scale piece under the Wycoff overpass near 11th Street. Another is a surreal mural near a carpenter shop on Callow Avenue.

“It’s like a portal into another space,” Bubblez said. “I love the dimensionality of it.”

Bubblez also pointed to a desert-themed mural off Kitsap Way that stood out to her amid the region’s many Pacific Northwest-themed designs.

“When I first saw it, it just felt so out of place,” she said. “But now I really love it.”

In addition to creating the mural map, Bubblez runs Spread Supplies, a new and used art supply store focused on affordability and sustainability. Nearly all of the products in her store are donated by community members, including unopened paint sets, gently used pencils, and unused canvases. The shop has diverted more than 30,000 items from going to waste.

“I was experiencing sticker shock when I first got into painting,” she said. “I wanted to make art supplies accessible while also reducing waste. ”

Bubblez hopes the mural map will eventually grow into printed walking tour guides, but for now, it remains a digital-only tool powered by community input, and her passion for making art visible, accessible, and celebrated.

“I really admire that muralists take up so much space with their voices,” she said.

Locals and visitors can submit mural addresses at spreadsupplies.com/murals-in-kitsap/.