Monster Truck Mural by Barbara Listenik at Deno's Wonder Wheel Park. February 8, 2011. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr
The Big Trucks from the kiddie ride at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park are in storage for the winter, but Barbara Listenik’s Big Truck mural keeps on trucking. We’ve seen the mural countless times, but it looked especially striking yesterday with freshly painted yellow fencing in the foreground against a clear blue sky. On Saturday, April 16th, the Big Trucks and the rest of Coney Island’s rides will rev up for the season.
Barbara Listenik is an accomplished artist whose work has been exhibited in over 65 galleries in addition to being on view throughout Coney Island. Listenick painted the mural at the center of the Mangels Pony Cart, the Thunderbolt facade, the Flying Elephants, and the Carousel in Wonder Wheel Park, as well as the Ghost Hole and Polar Express for 12th Street Amusements and the Skeeball mural for Coney Island Arcade. The Sea Gate resident’s company is called Fierce Release Design.
Amusing the Zillion 
Barbara Listenik. Never realized she did some of the art in Coney Island. Brings back memories of the glory days of the Right Bank and the artist community in Williamsburg taking very seriously the Mermaid Parade. Lex and Vic even won one year.
And Boris! the “jaws” of dogs.
Barbara’s support and mind set are so in line of what Coney Island is about. Her colors and the brush strokes that she uses, speaks to the freedom that Coney Islanders screams for. I can hear the screams now, on the rides, the boadwalk, the streets, it echos loud and clear! FREEDOM! Of thought, mind, and body.