Reno Mural OU x ND'A

It's a bit dated now but wanted to post this wall I painted with my good friend ND'A during his stay at our residency. You can read more about it at the Big Little.

ND'A overlooking our finished wall

NY Murals

Along with putting up a lot of new pasters in NY I was fortunate enough to have some good friends like Veng RWK, ND'A, and Keith Schweitzer of FAB line up some walls for me to paint.

Color explosion for this mural painted for Transportation Alternatives, Fourth Arts Block, and Recycle a Bicycle.

Details on corrugated metal is never my favorite.

Got a little weird on this aerial view.

With ND'A for Centrifuge on 1st and 1st in the E. Village.

Wild doodle at Bushwick 5 points

Stoop Dreams, Chicago

6 humid days, 7 pairs of socks, 8 gallons of paint, 9 -5in', one day painting in only my boxers, 42 Old Styles, one deep dish pizza, two dips in Lake Michigan, 14 wheat pastes, 80 replays of 2 Chains Birthday Song, and one long ass mural.

Just back from Chicago where I spent the week with Labrona putting in work. Nick Marzullo (who runs Pawn Works along with Seth in NYC) is the man! Someone get that guy a big ass high five. He took us to some of the best Italian Beef joints, greasy spoon diners, and spots. Yeah SPOTS! I love me some good spots. You can see a bunch of images on my flickr, or this write up on the Pawn Works site.

And below is a few photos from the wall I worked on.

'Division of Memory and Construction', 14' x 100', Chicago

Portrait of Mondo, the Foreman.

Young Pilsen Chicana portrait.

Saludos

Can't wait till autumn and all the leaves fall off that tree.

I spent last week painting in the humid thunderstorms with Kelly Peyton and Kaitlin Bryson. They had previously painted the wall for last years Forage event and invited me to join their tag team and make something entirely new. It was a great experience and big thanks to Manny Becerra founder of PACE Creative Media Co. for the great support and photos, Tim and Bernie Carter at Ace Hardware for the paint, all the people of 720 Tahoe Street, and all the people in the neighborhood that stopped by to show their support.


Below is how the previous mural looked before we began. We wanted to make something that reflected on the neighborhood that is somewhat quickly being revitalized. And since we are a catalyst in that process we wanted to be careful in our approach.

It's actually somewhat strange to see happen in Reno after witnessing developers flip neighborhoods firsthand in Bushwick Brooklyn, Berlin, Baltimore, SF.... The word gentrified is the go-to word for these situations but it just feels different in Reno. No one is being priced out and hopefully if anything more businesses will bring more business and culture. Sure, they're going about it the same way as most developers by branding an entire neighborhood under the guise of a hip directional name, albeit with a physically impossible geographic name (wouldn't Midtown need to be above, or North of Downtown?) But it's a welcomed move and I wish the best on all the businesses in Midtown, new and old.

Last years mural by KP and KB

Some of the oldest establishments on this particular block are Shea's Tavern and Ace's Tattoo. Ok, I'll get to them in a minute but first let me diverge. Since moving back to Reno I've felt indebted to one particular individual that I will sadly never be able to tell in person. His name is Joshua Beau Shaver but to most of us he was just Shaver. He passed away in January of 2007 right before I moved to NY. I met him through skating, as most people did and although he was amazingly powerful, determined, and known for his skateboarding he was even more impressive in day to day life. I never got to know him as well as I wish but the people that he touched most live, work, and loiter in what is now becoming Midtown. He was no foreigner to Shea's and lived at a couple different places just a few blocks east of the mural. This was Beau's block and I'm glad he's back to remind us of life, friends, and home.

As the old begins to blur with the new I felt a tribute mural to Shaver and for his closest friends on the block was what needed to happen. KP and KB were fully supportive and we began on Tuesday and finished on Sunday. They are a great team and I hope it's not our last collaboration.

Good traction on that there grease trap.

Kaitlin entering the geometric matrix.

You gotta have obstacles.

Saludos Amor by KP

If you haven't seen it yet, check out Beau's part from the Welcome to the Jungle video. RIP Beau L4D4, SODC, SBG!

Halfway through the portrait.

Labrona x Overunder mural in Reno

For being Canadian Labrona doesn't drink as many Labrewski's as one would think. Which is probably a good thing or else we wouldn't have ever finished this latest mural in the molten heat rays of Reno, Nevada.

A pair of Labrona characters look to a somber fellow with a mind of a Ferris wheel.

The always great Holland Project donated the wall space for us. If you haven't been to a show, workshop, or art exhibition check them out. They are just off of Wells Ave. at 140 Vesta St.

Portait of George W. G. Ferris Jr.

A very worn reference image I used of George Ferris Jr.

For my section I did a portrait of George W. G. Ferris Jr. who grew up in the Nevada Capital and nearby city of Carson in the 70's. The 1870's!

He entered notoriety after conceptualizing and engineering the Ferris Wheel for the 1893 World Fair in Chicago. Many say his design was inspired by watching the water wheel on the Carson River and imagining what it would be like to ride around on one of its buckets. While presenting his ideas to the powers that be of the World Fair many said Ferris was crazy and called him 'the man with wheels in his head."

Near the same time another George Ferris was shaping the look of Nevada. The Philadelphia transplant, George A. Ferris set up his architecture office in Reno and designed the Spanish Quartet of schools, including Mount Rose and McKinley Park, as well as the Governor's Mansion in Carson City. Later in his career he served as the State Architect for the Federal Housing Authority. 

Eventually he joined forces with his son Lehman A. "Monk" Ferris in 1928 and designed some of Reno's most striking structures such as the El Cortez Hotel. Prior to working with his father, Lehman worked with my favorite Reno-architect Frederic J. DeLongchamps. 

Painted Desert Murals

For those not living in the Navajo Nation the colossal photographic wheat pastes of Jetsonorama may be foreign territory. But anyone on the res can't drive further than their neighbor's house for some sugar before spotting one. And those of you just passing through on your way to the Grand Canyon can spot Jetsonorama's work by just looking out the window for the nearest old rusty water tank or dilapidated roadside stand. And that's just how all this happened. "All this" being the Painted Desert Project.

The Painted Desert Project began as Jetsonorama, aka Chip Thomas pasted one of his photographs on an abandoned roadside stand only to return months down the road and see the very same stand now open for business. Amazed, he pulled over and chatted with the folks only to learn that their impetus to re-open was based on seeing tourists stop to take photos of the art work. They figured it was the best captive audience they'd seen in years and the only thing to make it better was if there was another one for traffic going the opposite direction. Unabashadly Chip let them know about his altar ego Jetsonorama and the cogs started turning.

Before the paste could dry Chip and fellow street artist Yote had a plan to bring some of their favorite artist to the Painted Desert to paint run-down stands in an attempt to rejuvenate the life of those in need of business and as Chip states, "explore how this might build community."

I was fortunate enough to find myself in the presence of a few of my favorite people and artists. Gaia made it out from Baltimore, Doodles came down from Port Townsend, Washington and Labrona was hailing all the way from Montreal.

After driving for a day and a half it was really great to be there and see my homies again. Me and Gaia get embracey while Doodles packs it up. Photo by Chip Thomas

I spent the next week in this very lot painting alongside Doodles. My stand was huge and for the beginning of the week completely vacant. Come the weekend however the lot was bustling with merchants selling hand-picked herbs, second-hand clothes, jewelry, mutton galore, and even a semi full of hay. Some of the stands and r.v's stuck around for the next few days and Doodles and I got to know many of them on a first name and 12-pack basis.

My first mural was an interpretation of a portion of the Dine (Navajo) Creation story. It goes...

The gods laid one buckskin on the ground with the head to the west, and on this they placed the two ears of corn with their tips to the east. Over the corn they spread the other buckskin with its head tot he east. Under the white ear they put the feather of a white eagle; under the yellow ear the feather of a yellow eagle. Then they told the people to stand back and allow the wind to enter. Between the skins the white wind blew from the east and the yellow wind from the west. While the wind was blowing, eight gods called the Mirage People came and walked around the objects on the ground four times. As they walked, the eagle feathers, whose tips stuck out from the buckskins, were seen to move. When the Mirage People finished their walk, the upper buckskin was lifted. The ears of corn had disappeared; a man and a woman lay in their place.

The white ear of corn had become the man, the yellow ear had become a woman: First Man and First Woman. It was the wind that gave them life, and it is the wind that comes out of our mouths now that gives us life. When this ceases to blow, we die.

'Power Line' mural by OverUnder on a beautiful Arizona day.

Also in the creation story is a part about how the people of the Third World (a sort of human insect hybrid) had to travel across a sea of red water on a raft made from blue spruce, white pine, yellow pine, and black spruce. On the opposite bank was the Fourth World where beings lived in upright houses and although it was dry the people could cultivate food through irrigation.

This connection between worlds is not too far off from the way many of us live today. No one of us is an expert in everything and we are all continually learning from those more skilled and practiced around us. Through our continuous connections to new people and experiences we cultivate ourselves to reap better personal harvests. At least I can vouch that it's true for me.

Maybe it was the pot brownies working but while exploring the hillside and canyons behind Chip's house I was in awe of the gigantic power lines dotting the horizon like metal foot prints of a future society. Their stature matched the enormous characteristics of everything else out there in that red mess of beauty. Staring at them I knew I had to include them...somehow.

'Power Line' mural detail by OverUnder

This is another mural I painted based off a photo of a young Dine girl with the text from a poem about the Blessingway. While painting this piece, Virginia, who runs the stand asked me to paint a rainbow so that it would rain. Following her request I added the rainbow and sure enough it rained within an hour.

 

I also put up some other pieces that you can see on my flickr. And none of it could have been possible without the amazing hospitality of the one and only, Chip Thomas. Thank you!

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Breaking Out of Here

Haven't been painting too many walls lately. Been spending time painting paper and getting ready for the Painted Desert project in the Navajo Nation being graciously hosted by Jetsonorama and Yote. And been spending many countless hours, days, weeks on a new secret project that I'll be excited to post about when it comes to fruition. Until then enjoy that dry Nevada heat and go jump in a river or sumthin.

Break that chain

Weeping Indian with Joyns

Got to paint with my bestest homie Joyns last week. Made a weeping indian for all the real weeping indians down on 4th st.

Tile Mural for Living Walls Albany

Two days after returning from Living Walls Atlanta we were off to Albany for Living Walls the remix. We arrived early this time and were fortunate enough to set up shop in the Marketplace Gallery. Under the great hosting of the Contompasis brothers we had the time and resources to take on more than just a mural or a painting; We took on the city. And from our many street conversations the residents were inquisitive first and appreciative last. Although there was one reoccurring complaint. And that was, 'why can't you do another one on my building?'

Over the course of the month, we experienced the possibilities of a residency program and made some amazing friends, dinners, and stories in the process. Living Walls Albany may be officially over but it's wake continues on, moving up Livingston to West Hill, from the South End to Arbor Hill, and most importantly from the residents to the Capital.

I wanted to post about everything that happened over the month but accidently deleted all the images after they FINALLY finished uploading to this blog. Nerds! So instead I'm going to post about last big work I did while in Albany.

I think collaboration is a huge part of being an artist. That being said, I was excited when I learned I was doing a mural on a tile manufacturers building. I had never used tile for a mural let alone doing a full out mosaic but now the opportunity was right in front of me. Don, the owner was more than willing to teach me as I went and I was more than willing to experiment with this crazy, new medium. In the end, the mural isn't exactly how I envisioned because it's in the realm of what I couldn't envision. I had been speaking paint for the last decade and now I was speaking tile. I'm sure I'll revert to my natural language but if feels good to know that if I ever emerge in Tilelandia again that I could hold a conversation.

A HUGE thank you to Don Shore and Linda Ellet at L'Esperance Tile Works, Samson Contompasis who made it all happen at Living Walls Albany, my grouting expert and all around amazing assistant Catherine aka White Cocoa, and all the kids in the neighborhood that came down to help out.

When I arrived Samson took me to my wall which was on a small tile making factory called L'Esperance Tile Works.

Don, the owner of the building trimmed back all the overgrowth.

Don invited Catherine and I out to Saratoga Springs where they do most of the tile manufacturing. We got an awesome tour from him and his wife Linda and they walked us through the tile making process. Towards the end of the tour they showed us this huge pile of tiles that were waiting to be thrown out. Don gave us free reign to take as many as we wanted for the wall.

Except these ones which were intended for interiors and wouldn't last as a mural.

But we still came up on a bunch of great tiles and left with a very heavy and low-riding car. This is probably half of what we took back with us.

Back at the wall we had to come up with a plan to smooth it for all those damn tiles. The wall was pocked with huge holes and decomposing concrete.

The wall also had about 4 different types of surface. Brick, concrete, cinderblock, and wood.

I put up a rough sketch so we new our work area.

I also started playing with the tiles. This is one of several color permutations to figure out the palette and pattern.

Don mixing a concoction of concrete and fiberglass to fill the holes.

We reinforced the concrete fiberglass mix with wiring and did another layer of concrete over the top. Long day!

The posse!

One of my best assistants from the neighborhood!  (Photo, Rachel Eisley)

Roberto, me, Joshina, and Don at work.  (Photo,  Rachel Eisley)

Figuring out tile dimensions.

After working on smoothing out the wall all day I took a break to paint a quick piece at the end of the alley. A guy came by and we talked for a while. His name was Josh and he was super cool so I asked if I could take his picture and use if for a reference. That painting is one of my favorites now after I saw how it affected him and his family.

The painting of Josh. Pic by Andy Milford

Inside the building are cool things like this Rube Goldbergesque tile compaction machine. As you can probably guess I'm not sure what it's really called.

And also some of Don's restoration work.

Back outside I was halfway through the tiling process.

The backs of tile are sometimes just as interesting as the front. These ones were made on site and the back proves it!

A simplified depiction of the tile making process. The two outer plates pressing clay and water together making the inner tile.

A collection of the best patterned tiles laying around. Don knows more and i'll fill in the history on these later.

I love me some boney knees too.

A tile in the hand is worth two in the kiln.

Really love how the hands turned out.

Some sample tiles in the mix.

There's no greater satisfaction than signing your piece with an angle grinder!

BLAM!!!