art of a city

By Gabriel Reynolds

ublic art and murals are crucial to the life and variety of a town. Austin, in particular, enjoys an abundance of beautiful pieces from influential artists all over town.

I interviewed three people from the public art community about the various values of art in Austin. Muralists and exhibit coordinators alike commented on the significance of local art in the city, and the various effects it plays on their lives.

Felix Jaimes, known in the community as “Snuk One”, has painted a great amount in Austin. His most famous artwork is a tribute to the late legendary basketball player, Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gigi, and the others who perished in the same helicopter accident. Unfortunately, making murals of public icons isn’t always received the way it’s meant to. “We got a lot of backlash,” Felix says, “people were like, ‘Oh, you guys just did that to get famous’”. He combats this by saying how his social media pages show that he has been painting public figures for a long time, not just for clout: “The week before… we painted a mural of Ice Cube, and Ice Cube is still with us, he’s still here. It’s something that we’ve been doing.”

Despite all this, Jaimes says “The art form, for me, is something that I do to express myself, so it’s almost therapeutic.” His work brings out an emotional state of calm and focus about him. “It’s like when you go to the gym, you’re stressing all day, and you just let it out.”

It’s not just a meaningful experience for him, though. Another one of his popular projects, called “Tu Importas” or “You is a mural meant to represent and improve mental health. it. Nicole Parker is the exhibit coordinator for the Austin Public Library Gallery. She believes that having a gallery in an easy, public space means that the whole community can appreciate the works. “I think it’s [an] important space to have in Austin because we’re relying on community feedback and public support to keep the art space going.” my day job and be an artist in the studio as well has always been very important to me.”

She’s hosted many impactful exhibitions with inspirational artists, but she told me about one in particular, an African American photographer, who had his art on display in the gallery in February. It was called All Kinds of Black in Tech. “They had a photography exhibit that the collectors had organized,” she says. “They put together what He talks about the community and how they are affected by his presence while he was painting it: “I see people taking pictures in front of my murals all the time. Anytime I’m painting a mural, people come up to me, it could even be a homeless person.”

Before becoming the coordinator at the library, she was an artist and worked in a museum.

He shows that his artwork isn’t just something for property owners to ask and pay him for-they can make a difference. His skill is significant beyond the visuals and money- it brings the locals together and brings a positive and longlasting message to people who need

She wanted to contribute in a more professional way to the community that she loved. “Finding a job within the cultural sector, or in the art sector was very important… to be able to do something that I love and have it be 7 was really the first time he had shown his work in that type of setting, a professional art gallery setting.”

With over 100 people showing up, a DJ, and a photo booth, the exhibition was a hit. “We did a panel talk with the collectors and some of the people that were in the portraits displayed on the walls,” she said. “[I]t was very successful. We had a lot of great input from the public.”

In the end, she was successful in providing exposure for this artist and for his industry. “They want to come back in February next year as well to do an exhibit because they were very happy with how it all went.” cities historically.”

Brittany Johnson is another fantastic muralist that I had the pleasure of meeting. She embarked in the mural scene in 2018. “Painting murals really just made me feel alive,” She says. “After some time, it became also my job. I make money from it now. It’s the best of both worlds because I get to make money doing what I love.”

She predominantly paints people, and comments on the significance of putting love into her work: “I hope that it shows through the people that I’m painting, and I really want to capture the personality and soul of who I paint.”

She also finds murals to be a valuable tool for creating relationships and improving the people who experience them.

“I think it brings people together, I think the art really changes people’s lives.” She says. “It’s changed my life. I think it shows opportunity, you know?”

The trend among the opinions of these fantastic artists is clear-public art is pivotal to the liveliness and well-being of a city.

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Parker also talks about the importance overall of galleries in a city like Austin. “I think it’s necessary and it’s important to have galleries in the city,” she says. “I think it draws people in, and the cultural sector is really big on boosting the economy in 8