A Times Square mural painted by Sofia Maldonado, a Latina woman herself, is found offensive by some to women and minorities. Whether you like the art or not, here is public art that is getting people talking and engaged.
A few weeks ago I finished applying the last stroke of varnish on the Electric Maid mural. The Electric Maid is a non-profit space that will be a “community living room.” A gathering place where local musicians and artists can participate with the community. Rockin music gigs, an eclectic mix of adult and youth classes, art showings, films… And also, quite simply, a place to be comfy in the community: get on wifi, drink some coffee and get people hanging out together. Like I said in a recent post, I love murals most when they come together with other ingredients to make a successful community space. I think the Electric Maid is a great example, with its community-driven mission, its accessibility, and its unique feel.
The grand opening is coming up on Saturday, April 3. I encourage peeps in the area to come out for it! More details will be posted here when they become available. For now, I posted some photos of the mural painting process and final product at the Maid.
I’ve been working with Maria Kyriacou the past couple of weeks painting a mural for Mama’s Kitchen in Alexandria, VA - a Greek restaurant. The scene: a nightlife street scene in Athens, with the Acropolis gleaming on a mountaintop in the background. To the upbeat tunes of Mama Mia’s soundtrack, we had fun painting in the unique details of the balconies and various characters on the street (including a couple of cats on special request). AND, Mama’s Kitchen provided us with amazing lunches and coffee. Totally delicious.
Back to painting at the Electric Maid today. But first, because its right across the street and I am constantly hungry, I indulged in one of 7-11’s awesome salads. Who knew? They’re actually delicious.
Check out the world today: healthy salads and pay-for-plastic-bags at 7-11. So awesome. But I digress. The mural painting was the real highlight of my day, beyond the salad-eating. Here’s how far I got…
The point at which I left off last week… back in the days when 5” of snow still seemed like a wild catastrophic event:
Today, I worked on a surreal sky with metallic silver art deco flourishes:
And added a wash of a landscape in front:
More to come tomorrow!
graphic designer. illustrator. painter.
