Elevate 2017 (bogota dreams)

October 23, 2017

You can’t see all the way around the world at one time. You can’t do everything at once. We are only alive for a little while. We will never be around long enough to impress a big round boulder. (my wife asked me what this meant and I told her we are just old dry grass blowing in the wind.)

A few days ago, I finished my mural for Elevate 2017, with the City of Atlanta.

It was a great experience for me working in south downtown, I saw many extremes in humanity. I made friends with folks and heard many stories. Many people wanted to comment on my work and tell me their opinions. Many asked me if I would paint in their apartment, music studio or children’s event. I saw many chicken bones and a lot of used plastic cutlery.

I spent many more days there than I originally planned, but I didn’t really mind.

I based my mural on a mix of ideas I have been working through for a while. I took old ideas and some new imagery from public sculptures I saw while in Bogota, Colombia in September. While in South America, we drank little Colombian coffees and I drew out funny simple blue prints on napkins of how I should build my own sculptures on my property. The ideas I painted on the new mural were plans pulled from my napkin doodles.

The mural is located on Trinity between South Broad and Peachtree Streets. I painted on either side of an existing mural that has been n the neighborhood for many years.

Thanks to Emily, Haley, Rob and the rest of the good folks at the Office of Cultural Affairs.

Thanks to Pam and Doug for letting my live in their driveway for a couple weeks. They grow a hearty vegetable garden down there in south downtown.

Thanks to Maria and Pup for helping paint, watching my back, sending me love and bringing me food while I worked.

See a little video the City of Atlanta made about my mural and Elevate 2017 here.