I like the mural, but do not know why it it placed here. I get it, the mural was commissioned by…read moreAngie's List, a home improvement recommendation company, for what was at the time, their East Washington St. headquarters. But that is a stretch and very loosely linked to the company. It is now the Offices of Shook Reality Group, and fortunately they decided to keep this awesome mural. It was painted by local artist Christopher Blice and Jon Edwards aka Blice Edwards in 2014. Ok, now that I got my rant out of the way, this is an awesome mural. It is very life-like, be it a huge life. The mural is located off of a parking lot, so parking is not an issue here if you want to get out and take a closer look The mural depicts 37 common household tools that most people would have as if on an old-school pegboard. Now a days we use magnets and rails for that. The doors are incorporated into the painting very nicely, somewhat camouflaged into the painting. I like this mural a lot. It is very vivid and detailed. I can not imagine how long it took them to complete. As with most murals that I have reviewed, though, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 3 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other wonderful murals in the area to maximize your time and trip.

On the edge of downtown, just east of the I-65/I-70 overpass along Washington Street, there is a…read morelarger than life mural painted on the side of one of the Angie's List buildings. "Hardware Pegboard" was added in 2013 by local artists Blice-Edwards (Christopher Blice & Jon Edwards). The intent was to create the look of a home tool wall (only a lot better organized than most I've seen!) Since Angie's List is a company that helps people find recommendations on home improvement services, the images of tools seemed an appropriate theme. Counting the brushes and pencils along with the tools, there are 37 items on the wall. Review #1322

The city of Mooresville added a second mural by local artist Kylin Brown to the growing collection…read moreof public art. The newest mural was added to the side of the M&A Automotive Repair in 2020. The mural is easily visible from Bridge Street just west of the local Lowe's but across the street. The mural features a bright yellow background to catch your eye. The main focus of the mural is a black highway with numerous old cars and trucks and features a M&A tow truck driving along. There is a "greeting card" welcoming visitors to Mooresville. There are some inset images that appear to be old polaroids that have been taped to the mural (but oversized probably several feet across.) The mural not only draws attention to the business and lets you know it is auto related. But with the bright colors, it clearly shows a bit of history for the city that the business has been part of for a long time. I like that the business hired a local artist (from Plainfield) to create the mural and thereby, supports the local arts. If I had a car, I would definitely check this place out since it is locally owned and supportive of the community. But this review is strictly for the artwork. I enjoy noticing all the details that the artist has placed within the mural. Review #3802

This mural has an interesting story. It is the work of Gordon Strain and Greg Potter and was funded…read morethrough Crowdsourcing platforms such as GoFundMe, IndieGogo, and Patreon and merchandise sales. They worked on the piece throughout 2022 and I am sure that you can still donate if you are so inclined. The mural looks like a work in progress and depicts a sloth (named Percy) in a Hawaiian shirt hanging by one arm with a tropical drink, with an umbrella, (yes, please) in the other. The phrase "Hanging out in Indiana" appears in the mural, along with a toucan and another sloth in a flower print dress laying in a flower bed and reading a book. It is on the side of Middle Davids Artisan Candles & Gifts. The mural is very detailed and the artwork is top notch. The mural is painted directly on the wall's bricks. It is in excellent shape and the colors are very vivid. I like its laid-back, chill vibe. Tropical drinks, sloths, and Hawaiian shirts, do you need anything else. This mural it is not a large consumer of time, nor a destination piece. I was just there briefly while on my way to another nearby attraction. I would say that I was there about 5 minutes. I highly recommend visiting here on your way to somewhere else or making this part of a larger itinerary. The Franklin Art Garden and Young's Creek Park are very close by,

This mural is a long mural that is located off of a busy street. There is no good place to park and…read moreget out. I had to be really creative. This mural was painted by Carl Leck in 2014. The artist received help from Eli Lilly employees as part of their Global Day of Service and Vibrant Corridors project. It is a nice piece with a lot going on. When speaking of the piece, Leck said. "Man can construct and reshape his environment, but without consistent maintenance and upkeep, nature will take back what is rightfully hers. Mother Nature persistently reminds us, "nature wins." The mural shows a long strain of vines, flowers and roots with trees breaking through the surface towards sunlight. All you see is the base of the tree though. It is a very detailed piece. This is is not a very long stop, especially considering its location, and you probably could accomplish what you want to in the comfort of your vehicle. With that being said, it is best to plan out stops at many of the other wonderful murals in the area to best maximize your time.

Here's another one of those great Carl Leck murals that some people see every day, while others…read moredon't even know it exists. Located just north of the I-70 overpass on Madison, this large mural is painted along the support structure of the railroad tracks heading towards downtown. The mural was designed and painted by Leck with cooperation from the volunteers for the Lilly Day of Service (LDOS) in 2014. The mural shows tree roots and flowers growing and taking over what was once man made construction. It shows the impermanence of man's ability to change the world in the face of nature. Sure, big changes can happen, but as soon as mankind stops attending to those changes, nature takes back or levels the changes. In the end, "Nature Wins". Review #1715

This mural is very busy. It has a lot going on. It is painted on a wall right outside the Indiana…read moreCity Brewing Company. It was painted a a collective of drinkers that have a painting problem known as the Craft Brew Doodle Crew in 2019. The group formed in 2014 and has partnered with the brewery. The mural only used three colors, white and yellow, with a black background. There is a bunch of doodles on the mural including a cat, a sawn, ghosts, skulls, robots, worms, a shark, beer in a pint class, a drink in a wine glass, an owl, a wolf, and a guy in a ball cap saying "yo". That is not all of the doodles packed into the mural. You will also find the logo of the Indiana City Brewing Company prominently placed on the left side of the mural and the words "Love Great Beer" centered on the mural and painted over top of all the doodles. The crew has promised to periodically redo the mural to keep it fresh, which is very rare. I like this piece and the Doodle Crew's passion and background makes me like it that much more. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. The mural is painted on a wall that forms one of the perimeters of the brewery's parking lot. So, parking and getting out to get a closer look at this mural is simple and easy, if that is what you want to do. As with most all murals that I have reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 3 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other wonderful murals in the area to maximize your time and trip. You could start with the Hardware Peg Board mural that is right across the street.

This mural is located in an area known as Graffiti Alley 2.0. The original Graffiti Alley was…read morepainted over in a bland taupe color by the landlord after what he termed "miscommunication". Anyway, after a lot of push back the landlord welcomed the artist back. After a very successful GO Fund me campaign, the artist came back to the alley with their paint and brought the area back to life. The artist of this Mural is Justin Cooper and it depicts Marvel's super villain and Spiderman's nemesis Dr. Doom. In the mural Dr. Doom has his signature scowl, as he sits above some clouds. He says "ALL CAPS" and "When you the man's name". Call me a bit slow, because I do not know what that means. It may be a comic book thing. Anyway, It is a nice depiction of Doom and a pretty good mural. As with most murals I have visited, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other wonderful murals in the area to maximize your time and trip. Luckily there are a lot of other interesting murals in the alley, Graffiti Alley, that the mural is located.

This is a mural of James Whitcomb Riley and spans about 30 feet. Riley was an Indiana native…read morewriter, poet, and best-selling author. He was called "the poet of the common people", "the Children's Poet" and "the Hoosier Poet". Some of his notable work includes: Raggedy Man, The Old Swimmin'-Hole and 'Leven More Poems, Riley Child-Rhymes, Out to Old Aunt Mary's, and An Old Sweetheart. He is buried in crown point cemetery. This 3-story mural is on the side of Lockerbie Loft apartments and overlooks a garage entrance. Riley was actually a resident of the nearby Lockerbie neighborhood in the late 1800s, un until he died in 1916. It is the work of the dynamic duo of Christopher Blice and Jon Edwards of Blice Edwards. They painted the piece in 2016 and resembles a black and white photograph. It depicts Riley standing with a top hat and coat clutching a newspaper in his left hand. It has very nice artwork and I really like the way the bricks under the painting look and the effect that it gives the mural. It is a very realist looking mural and I as I mentioned, looks like an actual photograph. I would swear that it is based off of an actual photo, I just could not find it. On the bottom of the mural you will find, "With all best greetings and esteem, James Whitcomb Riley. The artists mimicked Riley writing and signature as best they when adding that part. Parking here may be a bit difficult to find. You may find a spot on a nearby street, but there is nothing in front. You can also get a decent look by doing a safe and strategic, slow rolling drive by as well. It may not have been the safest thing to do but I just pulled over and into the garage entrance. Without going into the garage, which has a roll up gate. As with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other murals and attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

If you are a fan of Hoosier celebrity, one of the favorite sons of Indiana is poet/author James…read moreWhitcomb Riley. In 2016, local artists "Blice-Edwards" (Jon Edwards & Christopher Blice) painted a section of wall with a monochrome representation of Riley, adorned in top hat and long coat. If you are driving west on Michigan, you can see this image on your right. Riley lived during the Golden Age of Indiana Arts & Literature and spent the last 23 years of his life living in nearby Lockerbie. (Tours of his home can be scheduled at both his childhood home in Greenfield and his home in Lockerbie.) He is most widely known for his poems "Little Orphan Annie" and "Raggedy Man". From the Lockerbie residence, he entertained guests like Gen Lew Wallace (author of Ben Hur), T C Steele, Richard Gruelle, John Ottis Adams, William Forsyth, as well as Benjamin Harrison who became President. Blice-Edwards have done a number of art installations around Indianapolis from their headquarters at 1101 E 54th St. Particularly in the Broad Ripple area you can find businesses who have turned to the pair of artists to add visual appeal to their space. For more information about Blice-Edwards, go to Arts Council of Indianapolis Public Art Directory at: https://www.indyartsguide.org/public-art/?keyword&_name=0&term=0&medium=0&_artist=33428&city=0&zip=0&location=0&collection=0 Review #1173

As someone who has been following public art in the Central Indiana area, particularly in the metro…read morearea around Indy, I have become familiar with the work of many local artists. Over the years, the artists may change styles, may go from being part of a crew to a partnership or as a solo artist. Such has been the case with Dan Thompson who has artwork all over if you know where to find it and the names he has used to sign his work. On his latest two murals (that I am aware of), he has been signing the murals "Invisible Home Town". I haven't been able to talk with him personally to understand the significance of the name and frequent name changes on his work, but if you are on the east side, you can check out his latest work which is part of an ongoing series of bringing public art to unexpected places. The owners of many Jiffy Lube stations in Indiana has been working with the Arts Council of Indianapolis to find local artists that would like to showcase their work to everyone, not just gallery viewers. Because many of the stations are in high traffic areas, and because the murals are usually large enough to cover one side of the building, there is a good chance that the artwork will be noticed by folks who otherwise might not be intrigued to go inside a gallery. And since these murals are located on a place that may have some built in wait time on service, it gives the patron something to look at while waiting. So This mural is somewhat abstract in nature and features an "Eye to Eye" encounter between a futuristic robot towering over a cat, but the cat in not intimidated and just stares back into the lens of the robot. It's a bit whimsical in subject matter and unusual in color choices, but the images are easily identifiable. If you are not familiar with the location, the station is on the east side of the street and the mural is on the north wall so most easily seen heading south bound. There is a small side street (unlabeled) that runs along the station so you can pull over to look at the mural as I did. Enjoy the mural and check out the Jiffy Lube website for more information about the art series and upcoming additions. Review 3932