Photo by Aimee Smith Usually, when someone tells us to “smile” it causes us to roll our eyes, at best. But while viewing this mural by “Just” Giovannie, located on the back wall of the Cambria Downtown Phoenix, we can’t help but break out in a grin. By the time we read the “Smile” prompt in the conversation bubble, we already are. Photo by Aimee Smith This smiling face is the gatekeeper to an alley...
A new mural marketing the highly anticipated new music festival, ZONA Fest, has gone up at 901 N. Central Avenue in Downtown Phoenix. It was painted by Quinn Murphy and Jake Early, the duo known for the “It’s Another Beautiful Day in Downtown Phoenix” mural. Murphy’s Hamster Laboratories is a custom design studio that specializes in gig flyers and created the Zona Fest lineup poster. For more information about ZONA Fest, check out our blog...
Photo by Aimee Smith This colorful wall located on the side of Majerle’s Sports Grill was painted by Jake Early and Quinn Murphy. It can be seen while traveling south on Second Street, just past the convention center parking garage. A bright sun is the main focal point, but upon closer inspection, mountains and the Downtown Phoenix skyline appear. The title of the mural, “It’s Another Beautiful Day in Downtown Phoenix”, is a tribute to,...
The muralist, vehicle painter and graffiti maestro Javier Cordova has a core specialty: lettering. Cordova, who grew up in South Phoenix and goes by “Spawk,” sprays and brushes scripts around Phoenix, often tagging his curvaceous letters on murals and vehicles with gold leaf. His work appears in skate parks, bars, barbershop windows and even Phoenix Suns murals. But you’d never know it. Spawk doesn’t sign his work. “I’m doing it for me,” he says. “If...
Historically, "Upper RoRo" was the less developed half of the famed arts district, but thanks to a crop of upstart restaurants, shops and murals, it's buzzing with an infections new energy.
You will want to take a multitude of photos of these three expansive Tempe murals. Fill your camera roll trying to find the perfect angle to capture these beauties in their entirety or with closeups of all their charming details. Photos by Aimee Smith “Don’t Wake the Dreamer” by Lauren Lee (@mslaurenlee) is located at 505 S. Hardy. The dreamer reposes along the wall, a hand clutching a flower at one end, a...
Want to peruse dozens of murals in one short block? Check out Oak Street Alley. This stretch of Oak Street, between 14th and 15th Streets in Phoenix, contains several murals by notable artists. Soak in Aztec Smurf’s impressive aquatic creation. Bow down to Isaac Caruso’s ode to the Hindu god Ganesh. Enjoy Andy Brown’s eclectic offering. Walk alongside Thomas “Breeze” Marcus’ distinctive style. Gaze at Osiris Rain’s peaceful portrait. ...
The flowers are blooming along the Grand Canal, perfectly complementing the murals painted earlier this year during Phoenix Mural Fest. Take a stroll to enjoy the spring-like symbiosis while it lasts. @iamundefinedart Palo verde sprouts sanguinely from Tiesha Harrison’s portrait. @liliana__moraart The wildflowers in front of Liliana Mora’s mural match her painted white background and yellow accents. @arianaa_belen White oleander provides a frame for Ariana Enriquez’s colorful flora and fauna mural. ...
This week we are spotlighting three new murals in Downtown Phoenix. Photo by Aimee Smith By El Mac and Thomas “Breeze” Marcus This multi-story mural is located in the alley south of Monroe Street and First Avenue. El Mac is responsible for the portrait while Thomas “Breeze” Marcus tackled the surrounding detailing. The mural is a nod to the Indigenous history of Phoenix. The girl depicted is a real teenager from the Salt...
Our columnist explains why getting rid of problematic art – or artists – isn’t as simple as it sounds.
One of the things I like most about mural hunting is that it takes me off my beaten path and introduces me to neighborhoods and buildings that I might not have noticed otherwise. It gives me license to explore alleyways, to walk around all sides of a building, to wander down unknown streets in search of beauty. Case in point, I was recently searching for El Mac’s Southwest Goddess. I knew it was somewhere on...
Tucson’s murals loom large, with many spanning several stories and stretching across entire sides of buildings. Here are a few can’t-miss favorites to look for while exploring Downtown Tucson. Joe Pagac This epic mural sprawls across 4,000 square feet at 534 North Stone Avenue. It shows a cowboy and a woman riding bicycles into blue skies. The woman’s dress billows behind her, morphing into a sunset backdrop for a trio of animal buddies, also riding...
Driving along Grand Avenue in Downtown Phoenix, it becomes obvious that you have entered an arts district. There are numerous galleries, a print shop (yes those still exist, thank you Hazel & Violet) and colorful creations hanging from the trees. Most eye-catching, though, are the murals of all different sizes, styles and colors. Here are just a few of the many murals to take in. The young man in a cowboy hat painted by El Mac...
Black Lives Matter posters prominently adorn the windows of Hotel Congress in Tucson, side by side with posters promoting mask wearing, an image quintessentially 2020. On the side of Hotel Congress is a mural by Camila Ibarra that perfectly encapsulates the two messages. A masked-up Black woman exudes power, clenched fists of solidarity rising above her. Ibarra is a student at Arizona State University. She has been selling prints and t-shirts of her artwork to...
As I spotted the building on the corner of 15th Avenue and Polk Street, I slowed the car and craned my neck in wonderment. Then I promptly did a U-turn, parked, and hopped out of the car with phone in hand like a giddy tourist. The building is covered with murals, consisting of varying styles and colors, ranging from vibrant to grayscale. Flora + Fauna by Eric Cox and Tara Sharpe This striking mural uses...