100th Running Celebration Mural at the 500 Festiva... The 500 Festival commissioned this mural from Indianapolis-based artist Carl Leck to commemorate several important race-related anniversaries occurring in 2016: the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, the 60th Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade, and the 40th Indianapolis 500 Mini-Marathon. Leck’s mural depicts the Borg-Warner Trophy, which is presented annually to the 500 winner; the original and current track pagodas; and three race cars, one of which is the inaugural 1911 winner, the Marmon Wasp. Other images include depictions of the 500 Festival Parade and the Mini-Marathon.
See a timelapse of the installation of the mural at https://vimeo.com/167786445.
Learn more about artist Carl Leck at http://harrisoncenter.org/carl-b-leck/
20 Past 4 & More Mural This mural was created in collaboration with local business 20 Past 4 & More and FAB Crew, aka the Fantastic Aerosol Brothers. Spanning the entire side of the building, this creative depiction of a young man with magical powers brings bold design and bright colors to the structure.
This mural is representative of the many unique characters 6Cents and Sacred317 have created over their 17 years together as Fab Crew. Though both are trained in fine art and commercial design, graffiti art remains the driving force behind their creativity. The FAB Crew has been commissioned to create murals for Klipsch, the NFLPA, Hot Box Pizza, IndyGo (for whom they painted two buses), Red Bull, Pabst Blue Ribbon, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as well as many others.
Amish Horse This mural is the centerpiece of the Broad Ripple Rise ‘n’ Roll Bakery location, one of three locally, all of which feature murals by Koda Witsken. The murals were designed to combine the bakery’s signature packaging colors and traditional Amish imagery representing the bakery’s products and origins.
Koda Witsken is based in Indianapolis and specializes in indoor and outdoor large-scale murals. She is the founder and lead muralist of Hue Murals.
Be Kind This mural was painted for the patio area of Union Brewing Company. Its design merges a number of iconic elements, including the St. Pauli Girl mascot, the World War II-era “We Can Do It” poster, and a social movement called “Just Be Kind,” which was started in 2015 by youth in Central Indiana (possibly based on a quote from one of Indianapolis native Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.’s novels) and has since gone nationwide. The colorful style is a hallmark of its artist, Carmel-based painter and muralist Nekoda Witzken.
Bovaconti Mural This mural, painted on the exterior wall of an espresso bar, expresses the cool, chic brand identity of the establishment while also providing signage and a subtle means for visitors to find the entrances. The design is inspired by the building’s 70-year history as a jewelry store, with the building itself dating back to the 1850s. Color blocks and linework are reminiscent of gem cutting, with diamondlike prisms spanning the width of the building facade.
Nick Smith is an Indianapolis-based (but widely traveled) artist specializing in urban abstraction. He is color-blind, and dedicates all his works to his brother Sean, who is autistic.
Catch of the Day In August of 2020, local artist Nekoda (Koda) Witsken was commissioned to paint a mural at the entrance of the newly opened seafood restaurant Slapfish on Mass Avenue. The painting of the colorful fish just inside the front door of the restaurant welcomes the visitors into the restaurant, and, as it is visible through the window, its bright colors catch the eye of passersby.
The artist uses her trademark style of a large number of bold colors in abstracted blocks to create the image. The mural folds around the corner, which adds depth to the painted image.
Koda Witsken is based in Hamilton County, Indiana and is the owner of Hue Murals, specializing in indoor and outdoor large-scale murals for public and private spaces. Examples of her mural work span warehouses, residences, offices, shipping containers, pianos, cars, snowplows, canvases, skulls, and more.
Chilly Water mural The mural is located by the outdoor patio of Chilly Water Brewing Company on Virginia Avenue in Fletcher Place. The mural depicts a skeleton holding a beer in its extended arm. The beer is spilling to the ground and the splash forms the artist’s tag “MuckRock”. There are also musical notes, referencing the Chilly Water’s owners’ love of music. The mural was painted during an informal artist’s residency in the summer of 2019.
Jules Muck, aka MuckRock, is a street artist from England who learned her craft in the 1990s from Lady Pink and many other legends of graffiti and hip-hop culture. After working extensively in New York, she moved to Venice, California in 2008. She currently works nationally and internationally, with major works in various locations including Miami’s famous Wynwood district, produced with Art Basel Miami. MuckRock’s street works are both invited and unsanctioned, and she has created work for gallery exhibitions.
ClusterTruck Mural This mural is a fun take on ClusterTruck’s business, which is to provide a central preparation and to-your-door meal delivery service on behalf of its food truck partners.
The mural was designed by Phanomen Design, an Indianapolis-based interior design, architecture and marketing creative team with the mission to make environments more attractive and profitable. It was painted by Pamela Bliss, an Indianapolis-based muralist and sign painter. Learn more about the painter and her other work at https://www.facebook.com/PamelaBlissArt/
Coneflowers The mural, depicting one of Indiana’s most beloved native flower species being visited by bees, is located on the side of a building at The Forest Flower garden center. Echinacea purpurea (Eastern purple coneflower) is a showy, easy to grow perennial that tolerates moderate drought, and has many benefits including feeding important pollinators and holding soil. The flowers, when dried, can be used to make a tea that reportedly strengthens the body’s immune response system. The mural was painted during an informal artist’s residency in the summer of 2019.
Jules Muck, aka MuckRock, is a street artist from England who learned her craft in the 1990s from Lady Pink and many other legends of graffiti and hip-hop culture. After working extensively in New York, she moved to Venice, California in 2008. She currently works nationally and internationally, with major works in various locations including Miami’s famous Wynwood district, produced with Art Basel Miami. MuckRock’s street works are both invited and unsanctioned, and she has created work for gallery exhibitions.
Creative Confluence Graffiti artist Dazed created this text mural for Creative Confluence, a creative membership space and production studio. Creative Confluence’s name is painted in white angular letters with a dripping purple background.
Dazed is a street artist in Indianapolis. He often utilizes text and pop culture images in his artwork on the sides of trucks and cars as well as interior and exterior walls.
Elements of Cuba The artist created this mural to celebrate some of the many beautiful elements of Cuba, as requested by the owners of Villa Havana Cigar Lounge. Vibrant colors with a tropical feel delineate rolling farm fields, the Cuban national bird (tocororo) and national flower (royal palm), and the buildings of its capital city, Havana. The work creates a positive energy for both the building and the business occupying it.
Israel Solomon is a painter based in Avon, Indiana. He exhibits his work extensively in central Indiana galleries, and creates murals whenever possible. He enjoys using geometric patterns and the human figure within his artwork, mixing vibrant colors with the shapes and patterns to create rhythm. Israel works to distribute colors evenly through the canvas in order to create a sense of balance within each piece. His goal is to create a color pulse and rhythm that moves the viewer’s eye through the painting. Israel works to make each shape and layer of color equally interesting, whether it is in the foreground or background.
Follow Your Dreams Creativity was the inspiration for this graffiti alley-style mural by artist Matthew Cooper. The mural features portraits of local musicians A.K. Ape, Daylo Ryamonz, and Norrie The Goat layered with words and symbols. The mural was created for Innovative Indianapolis, a creative media agency in Indianapolis.
Matthew Cooper is a painter living in Indianapolis, Indiana. His paintings often feature a variety of media including acrylic paint, oil paint, oil stick, and found objects. His often narrative work speaks to the beauty of the African and African-American people and culture through a dreamlike reality using the human anatomy to recreate a storytelling narrative of courageous and resilient history. Matthew Cooper was the 2021 Featured Visual Artist for the Arts Council of Indianapolis’ Art & Soul Celebration.
Fountain Square Animal Clinic Mural In the great tradition of commercial sign painting, this mural is a charming depiction of the Fountain Square Animal Clinic’s business that functions both as a decorative mural and as a sign.
The artwork was developed by Indianapolis’ Phanomen Design, who also created the fresh and funky interior environment of the clinic. Painting was done by Chris Thompson of Level Line Painting in Indianapolis.
Fountain Square Eye Care The Fountain Square Eye Care Mural was completed in December of 2016 by Justin Olson, local artist and owner of Olson Paint Studios, LLC. This colorful mural is representative of Olson’s creative designs in addition to embodying the vivacious spirit of the Fountain Square Cultural District.
Having studied entrepreneurship and studio art at Ball State University, Justin Olson started Olson Paint Studios in the spring of 2002. The concept of Olson Paint Studios is to take customer’s decorative paint ideas and make them come to life. Catering to customers looking for fine painting in their homes and businesses, Olson Paint Studios has completed a number of projects around the city of Indianapolis, particularly commercial murals and signage.
Good Morning Mama's Mini-Murals Good Morning Mama’s is a former gas station turned into a 1950s-style breakfast/brunch restaurant complete with jukebox, formica tables, and kitschy accessories. The decorative painting company Blice Edwards designed and executed bright and cheery exterior and interior murals and signs to create the impression of a fun beachside resort snack bar. Murals include images of menu items, gum-chewing waitresses, a pink Cadillac, and the restaurant’s theme animal, a happy, fluffy bluebird.
Blice Edwards Inc. is a partnership between artists Christopher Blice and Jon Edwards, and is based in Indianapolis. Read more about their work at http://bliceedwards.com/
Hardware Pegboard Mural Commissioned by home improvement advising company Angie’s List for their East Washington St. headquarters, this trompe-l’oeil mural pays homage to the everyday handyman by charmingly arranging 37 common household tools as if on a garage-wall pegboard. The mural displays a keen sense of humor: for example, doors into the facility are camouflaged, one by a tin can holding brushes and the other by a large paintbrush. The parking lot bollards are transformed into pencils. The artists modeled the tool images on items they themselves owned, to get that real-life look. Because the best view of the mural comes from Washington Street, the tools were drawn at a 45-degree angle with corresponding shadows so they seem to pop right out of the brick wall. Once a day, in the afternoon (the exact time varies with the seasons but typically between 2-4pm), the shadows line up perfectly with the sun.
Blice Edwards Inc. is a partnership of artists, Christopher Blice and Jon Edwards. The pair established their decorative painting business in 1993 after a collaborative project that brought the talents of each together. Jon Edward’s educational focus was on Graphic Design and Fine Arts, receiving a BFA in graphic design from the Columbus College of Art and Design. Christopher Blice has long been interested in painting, mixed media sculpture, and fine crafts including metal weaving and art glass. The Blice Edwards studio is located in Indianapolis, Indiana. For more information, visit http://bliceedwards.com/
Healer mural This mural was produced on commission for Healer, an all-ages music venue that is also a bar, alternative art gallery, arcade, and interactive visual experience. The building has a long history that includes serving as the practice space for the now-defunct Indianapolis band Dog Brother, several members of which are also Healer co-founders. The mural includes a green skull with tulips in its eye sockets, and melting microphone stands. The mural was produced during an informal artist residency in Indianapolis in the summer of 2019.
Jules Muck, aka MuckRock, is a street artist from England who learned her craft in the 1990s from Lady Pink and many other legends of graffiti and hip-hop culture. After working extensively in New York, she moved to Venice, California in 2008. She currently works nationally and internationally, with major works in various locations including Miami’s famous Wynwood district, produced with Art Basel Miami. MuckRock’s street works are both invited and unsanctioned, and she has created work for gallery exhibitions.
Homespun Giraffe This whimsical giraffe, laden with jewelry, graces the interior of Homespun, a retail store specializing in handcrafted goods from makers across the US and Canada. The mural was painted during an informal artist’s residency in the summer of 2019.
Jules Muck, aka MuckRock, is a street artist from England who learned her craft in the 1990s from Lady Pink and many other legends of graffiti and hip-hop culture. After working extensively in New York, she moved to Venice, California in 2008. She currently works nationally and internationally, with major works in various locations including Miami’s famous Wynwood district, produced with Art Basel Miami. MuckRock’s street works are both invited and unsanctioned, and she has created work for gallery exhibitions.
Indy Auto Man Core Values This mural is the centerpiece of Indy Auto Man’s Service Center, built in 2021. The design is emblematic of the organization’s core values, including initiative, growth, integrity, transformation, and resourcefulness. Employees were surveyed during the design process as to which symbols and heroes they felt best represented these values: their feedback was then incorporated into the design. This mural served as the backdrop to the inaugural Indy Arts Fest in September, 2021.
The mural was designed and painted by Koda Witsken of Hue Murals, with assistance by Travis Neal, Bezol One, and Dan “Invisible Hometown” Handskillz.
Indy Humane Mural Artist Bezol One often paints colorful and styled renditions of animals and robots, and this mural featuring joyful dogs and cats is no exception. The mural was part of the Great Places 2020 initiative led by LISC-Indianapolis and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful Inc. (KIBI). Indy Humane was awarded a LISC Indianapolis Facade and Property Improvement Program grant in 2019 to aid in the rebranding of the organization, complete with an exterior building overhaul including the repair and repainting of the building, additional signage, and landscaping. The Facade and Property Improvement Program is a partnership with LISC Indianapolis, State Farm, The Lilly Endowment, and Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership.
Bezol One is an Indianapolis-based muralist and graphic designer inspired by futuristic technologies and exotic creatures.
James Whitcomb Riley Mural The “Hoosier Poet” James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916) is honored in this portrait mural adorning the Lockerbie Lofts residences. The apartment complex is located adjacent to the historic Lockerbie neighborhood, where Riley lived from 1879 to his death.
Riley was among the most popular and prolific writers of the late 19th- and early 20th century, known for his “uncomplicated, sentimental, and humorous” writing. Often writing his verses in dialect, his poetry caused readers to recall a nostalgic and simpler time in earlier American history. This gave his poetry a unique appeal during a period of rapid industrialization and urbanization in the United States.
The artist, Blice Edwards Inc., is a partnership of artists Christopher Blice and Jon Edwards and is based in Indianapolis. Read more about their work at http://bliceedwards.com/
Kilroy's Broad Ripple Mural The imagery of this mural reflects the vibrant atmosphere of Broad Ripple Village, particularly its youth culture. It was painted in 2012 to help prevent tagging of the wall by providing something fun and interesting to look at. The Kilroy’s logo appears along with the “Kilroy” character, a bald man seen as if peeking over the logo. The limited color palette gives it an intriguing graphic look.
The character of “Kilroy” dates back to World War II, where it was a common graffiti image drawn by American GI’s in Europe. It originated simply with the phrase “Kilroy Was Here,” possibly derived from a military legend, and used as a joking way of indicating that the GI’s had passed through. The accompanying image became linked to the phrase after contact with British soldiers, and was likely derived from their own ubiquitous graffiti character they called “Mr. Chad.”
The artist, Barbara Stahl, has been painting murals in Indianapolis since the early 1990s, in addition to creating fine art as a studio artist.
Livery Mural This mural on the south wall of Livery Restaurant was completed in October of 2016 by Justin Olson, local artist and owner of Olson Paint Studios, LLC. This imaginative mural is representative of Olson’s colorful and creative designs in addition to the buoyant spirit of the Massachusetts Avenue Cultural District.
Having studied entrepreneurship and studio art at Ball State University, Justin Olson started Olson Paint Studios in the spring of 2002. The concept of Olson Paint Studios is to take customer’s decorative paint ideas and make them come to life. Catering to customers looking for fine painting in their homes and businesses, Olson Paint Studios has completed a number of projects around the city of Indianapolis, particularly commercial murals and signage.
Insider’s Note: The south wall of Livery was painted a base color long before Justin was asked to paint the mural. The condition of the brick wall was so delicate, that sandblasting the old paint was not an option. If you look in one of the photographs that shows the second story of the building, you can see where Justin hand painted every brick to make it appear to be original brick colors.
Montessori Garden Academy Mural This whimsical mural of flowers and wild life on south wall of school was designed by illustrator Penelope Dullaghan and executed by artist Carl Leck.
Posh Petals Mural Blice Edwards painted this commercial mural for Posh Petals florist shop using the architectural detail of four inset panels on the side of the building to their advantage with one colorful poppy on each panel. The Posh Petals Logo features prominently against a two-tone green background.
Blice Edwards Inc. is a partnership of artists, Christopher Blice and Jon Edwards, based in Indianapolis. The pair established their decorative painting business in 1993 after a collaborative project that brought their talents together. Jon Edward’s educational focus was on Graphic Design and Fine Arts, receiving a BFA in graphic design from the Columbus College of Art and Design. Christopher Blice has long been interested in painting, mixed media sculpture, and fine crafts including metal weaving and art glass.
Rise 'n Roll Murals Carmel, IN-based artist (Ne)Koda Witsken was commissioned to add murals to the interior walls of the Fishers District location of Rise’n Roll Bakery. The bakery is of Amish management and is based in Middlebury, Indiana: to honor the Amish culture of the business Witsken painted a horse and buggy, a common sight in the area of northern Indiana where the business originated. The style of the horse and its carriage is similar to the mural the artist painted in downtown Fishers called Mudsock Spirit; this one is called Rise and Shine. Witsken also painted an image of a traditional Indiana Amish quilt behind the bakery’s coffee station.
Koda Witsken is the owner of Hue Murals. Her work is characterized by intense color and a contemporary, yet representational style. Koda’s mission as an artist is to beautify spaces in an eco-friendly and culturally inclusive manner.
Sun King mural Sun King Brewery commissioned Indianapolis artist Carl Leck to create this mural for their College Avenue brewery and retail outlet.
The mural’s design is based on the “4 Beer-ly elements” (water, hops, barley, yeast), which are also represented in the company’s logo. The artist wanted some eye-catching, over-the-top scale elements, and decided to make the hops the main element (the yeast were a bit tough to represent on a large scale, being micro-organisms!). The beer can pouring into a glass is Osiris, one of Sun King’s best-selling brews. In order to tie the design to the brewery’s location in downtown Indianapolis, the artist created a mountain stream transforming into the Downtown Canal.
Learn more about artist Carl Leck at http://harrisoncenter.org/carl-b-leck/
To Dream with Alice The artist was asked to create a mural for Vape Gods that would fit the theme of the business, which sells vaping and CBD products. The art work evolved from an orb with a vaping Buddha to include trees, eyes, and surreal scenes derived from elements of the Alice in Wonderland story, and reminiscent of a drug trip. The title could also be an allusion to the 1971 novel Go Ask Alice, the story of a teenage drug addict, or the 1967 song “White Rabbit,” written by musician Grace Slick and recorded by the band Jefferson Airplane in 1967; both were likewise inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Many images are hidden in the shading and it is left to the viewer to determine their meaning.
Indianapolis-based artist Charity Golden has drawn all her life and pursued art courses during her sociology program at Ball State University. Although she has done small paintings (some of which also hang in the business), this is her first solo public artwork. The artist shared that her artwork is integral to her identity as a survivor of abuse; she feels that she is a testimony of that survival to inspire other women.
Uber Mural FAB Crew, also known as the Fantastic Aerosol Brothers, designed and created this mural for Uber’s new Indianapolis Greenlight Hub. Spanning the entire rear facade of the building, this creative depiction of Indianapolis brings bold design and bright colors to the structure.
This Uber mural is representative of the many unique designs 6Cents and Sacred317 have created over their 17 years together as Fab Crew. Though both are trained in fine art and commercial design, graffiti art remains the driving force behind their creativity. FAB Crew has been commissioned to create murals for Klipsch, the NFLPA, Hot Box Pizza, IndyGo (for whom they painted two buses), Red Bull, Pabst Blue Ribbon, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as well as many others.
Untitled (Folk Art Animals) For the Broad Ripple Animal Clinic, Indianapolis artist Amy Rheinhardt painted a series of whimsical animals in a folk-art style that highlights their “humanity.” Set against a backdrop of clouds and the city’s distinctive skyline, the mural proclaims the importance of domestic animals in everyday life.
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