Muralism

Muralism became a crime in Portland when Clear Channel sued the city of Portland for free speech. Stating that the city was restricting the advertizing they stretched across the sides of buildings. The city allowed artists to paint murals with little restriction until Clear Channel hucked the law suit at the city of Portland in 1998. As a result murals were banned until the mural code was revised. Thanks to Portland Mural Defense and their endless battles to keep murals alive, there has been hoops given for artist to jump through. A complicated approval process may be obtained from the city, or the Regional Arts City Council (RACC) can give grant money and approval.

An Example of Muralism

2011  Mystery Gallery (detail)  14751 SE McLoughlin Blvd. Oak Grove, OR

The above mural was painted with oil-based enamel paint which has the vibrant qualities of oil and a dry time closer to water-based paint. Using Smith's creme and linseed oil to make a "soup" helps out greatly as a vehicle for blending and carrying the pigment. Linseed oil can spontaneously combust, which adds a little anticipation to the process. Props go to Anthony Sezer for help on the mural.



Mural Installation

This mural was painted off site and later installed into Townshend's Tea house in Bend, OR.  The panels were installed into the two skylights of the tea house. 

2012  Townshend's Tea. (detail)  830 NW Bond St. Bend, OR

This mural was painted on MDO sign board and installed on site. I used oil and enamel paints to depict this fictional intersection of three businesses that existed on North Killingsworth St.

2010  Fats (exterior) 2930 NE Killingsworth St. Portland, OR

Fats (interior, detail)

Also on the interior of Fats I painted a London street scene that wraps around the hallway and morphs into London skyline on the other side of the hallway. For this mural I used chalk to sketch the design directly onto the wall. On the interior I used water-based latex paint to cut down on fumes and the budget. Mixing a little acrylic paste and tints to get the right palette. Primarily using 4 to 6 inch brushes to start I loosely chopped in the light reflecting on the rainy streets and the general shapes of the London skyline. Later I came in with smaller brushes and did the detail work. My approach was a ballpoint pen style  painted over a fluid monochromatic background.













Pioneer Auction Gallery

This wall was a very interesting one to approach. This was origionally an interior wall that was made exterior in the early 1900s when concrete and rocks were poured over a bed-spring foundation. Given a lot of freedom in the design it was extremely fun to work these elements into the design. The theme of a storefront with the owners (and my) love for the circus, this mural got a little wild. 

A portion of the wall before painted

2010  Pioneer Auction Gallery. Oak Grove, OR

2010  Oak Grove Station (1 of 3 windows) Oak Grove, OR

                    Window Painting

Window painting is another form of Muralism. This is one of 3 windows I painted for a coffee shop in Oak Grove. Painting windows is a different process and requires a special approach. First off you have to decide whether to paint the interior, exterior or both. I usually decide depending on traffic, weather and the height of the window. Painting from the inside provides security from weather and scratching. Although this requires painting backwards in sequential order. Starting with outlines and later adding shading. In this instance I painted both sides of the window and scratched back into the paint to give negative space.

Di Prima Dolci Patio Mural

This wall was painted with help from artist Laura Caswell.  We painted an invented Italian vineyard in the patio of this Italian restaurant. Loosely referring to photographs we did a minimal amount of chalk drawing and moved quickly to paint. No graphing, projecting or pouncing required.

2010  Di Prima Dolci, 1936 N. Killingsworth St. Portland, OR

Sparky's Pizza

This playful interior mural was very fun to design. A Portland cityscape where breweries are taken over by giant amphibians. One of them has taken the roof off the Green Dragon Brewpub and is chugging out of a mash tun. Meanwhile in the foreground, some friends of mine eat pizza and sip beer unaware of their invasion.

2010  Sparky's Pizza (detail) 839 SE Belmont St. Portland, OR

Mobile Muralism

 Another perfect candidate for oil-based enamel paint, this bus transports inebriated folk to and from Safari Club in Estacada, OR.  This paint lends well to metal and is durable on auto body. Using a level to plot out the letters and letting loose on the volcanic background. Then refining the letters and remeasuring to do the outlining.

 Residential Playroom

In the early summer of 2010 I themed out a children's playroom. Giving the illusion that you are inside a tree house peering out windows into a fantasy land of other tree houses, fairies and dragons. Every square inch of the room was painted with a faux wood texture. Giving the feeling of the inside of a tree. Three windows were painted along with a bookshelf and stove with gnomes and fairies huddled around.

     2010  Residential mural for childrens' playroom (detail) Portland, OR

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