Cool and brightly colored public art mural that sits on a exterior garage near and alley of popular…read morebroad ripple community in Indianapolis Indiana My family and I noticed this space themed and futuristic milking mural whole discovering the broad ripple area for all of its wonderful public art. We were in town from louisville for my daughters cheer comp and just had dinner at a nearby by broad ripple establishment and decided to go exploring. Overall, like an h of broad ripples public service Thai was bright, colorful and fun to check one. Good piece in a great area for public art fans.

This mural takes up all 4 sides of the small building that it is painted on. The mural is on a shed…read morelike structure off of an alley way behind a little strip mall. This mural is actually a collection of four murals by Joy Hernandez. Hernandez uses an astronaut named Bean in many of her murals. This one is no exception. The mural in the front, titled Cosmic Dance, has bean the astronaut break dancing agains a pink background with yellow polka dots. On the side, to the left (with you facing the mural) is Hernandez's Voyager mural which depicts a satellite against a black background with blue polka dots. On the side, to the right (with you facing the mural) is the piece titled Pale Blue Dot. Spoiler alert, the blue dot is Earth. That mural depicts some colorful dots among an image that appears to be the sun and some planets like Saturn and Jupiter off in the distance. You will also see fading blue polka dots against the black background, which is a theme among these murals. The final mural, which is on the back is titled Sounds of Small Creatures and depicts Bean the astronaut spinning the 1s and 2s, against a pink, red and orange background with, yep you guessed it, yellow polka dots. The murals are not artistic marvels by far, but are Hernandez's classic style. They are very color and gives off a pop art type of vibe. All the murals on the structure go very well together and are seamless. You can find many of Hernandez's work across the city. If it is a mural and has an astronaut in it, then it is more than likely her. There is metered street parking within a short walk of this mural or you can just pull into the alley that the mural overlooks and park there to get a closer look. As with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other wonderful murals in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. There are tons of murals in the alley and adjacent alleys to look at.

Carmel is full of roundabouts and public art, and at first when I was at the midtown plaza,…read morechecking out the area and enjoying some food, I saw this piece because it was noticeable in the dark, and I really enjoyed the colors. I googled around a bit and discovered that it is called sail, and that makes sense since it looks like the sails of a ship. It was created by two people who met while they were teaching at the Herron school of art. The structure is acrylic, steal and lights. Check it out! It's hard to miss, and very cool at night.

This is an eye catching sculpture that is constructed of steel and colorful arcylic. It is also…read moreequioed with lights that illuminate the colored glass at night. It is 30 feet tall and the city commissioned Quincy Owens and Luke Crawley of Owens + Crowley to construct the piece. In 2019 They wanted it to be an iconic landmark for the new Midtown plaza area. The three towing structures resemble sails of a ship, hence the name. They definitely do stick out. It is located along the Monon Trail and I saw it from far away. I liked the way the sun beamed through the colored glass and it's humongous size. It demanded my attention. There is free street parking available all along the section of the trail that the sculpture is located. It I may be difficult to find a spot though, so be prepared to walk. There are a few spots that are across from the sculpture and are designated as 20 minute parking. That is where I parked. You have a real good chance of snagging one of those spots. And I doubt you will be there longer than 20 minutes, so you should be good. As with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes and tht includes me being hypnotized by the light hinting through the sculpture's colored glass. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. There is another piece on the trail and nearby roundabouts that would be perfect to start with.

This mural is on what appears to be a vacant building. It is actually two murals. One on the back…read moreand one on the side. The one one the back is the one titled Shine Love and is the work of youth from the TeenWorks program with the guidance of the Department of Public Words, a group that aims to empower people through art and education. They used a design by Megan Jefferson and Holly and Dave Combs.They painted it in 2016. Their work is usually pretty simple, but has a positive message. This one is no different. The majority of the mural is background that horizontally transitions from light yellow to lime green. There are also small set of butterfly wings on the mural, that also has a transiting color schemed transition. It transitions from blue to purple. The mural is highlighted by the word "Love" in the lower right corner. It is not spectacular and even though the bright colors are cool, It is still pretty dull. The other mural on the side of the building depicts, an abstract vegetable garden with a silhouette of the cityscape and of people in the background. It is a very colorful mural. I could not find a title or tag for this mural. There is free street parking on the side street that the murals are located. It is relatively easy to get to and park. That is where I parked to get out and take a closer look at the murals. As I previously mentioned, this is one of the most basic murals you will find. As with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other wonderful murals in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. There is a mural painted by the same group titled Maple Crossing Positive Polka Dots, that is located right down the street.

The building that houses Happy Brewing has two murals on the west and south sides…read more The mural on the west side is called "Shine Love" and was completed in 2016 by the Department of Public Words. The mural is a simple one: a band of yellow along the bottom and a band of lime green above that. The simple word "Love" is written in the yellow band like it is written on sunshine. On the south side of the building is an untitled mural that was added in 2016 or 2017. It depicts colorful vegetables along the bottom of the mural like the harvest from a community garden. Behind/above the garden, are shaded layers of trees, then shadow people, and finally, a cityscape in simple colors. As far as I could see, the south mural was unsigned. Review #1523

I have learned that Jules "MuckRock" Muck was very busy during her 2019 stay in Indianapolis. This…read moreis one of the many murals that she painted while she was here. This is a simple mural that depicts 9 purple echinaceas, more commonly known as cone flowers, with bees hovering over them, all against a mint green background. I like the ways the colors compliment each other and the contrast between the flowers and background. The mural is fittingly located on the side of one of the Forest Flower Garden Center buildings. The mural is nice artistically and puts MuckRock's talent on display. It is in great shape, but can prove difficult to access. It is located off the road a bit and depending on which way you are approaching the nursery, may be invisible. Another challenge is that the nursery is fenced in, so you can only visit, during normal business hours, otherwise the gates will be locked and you will not be able to get back there. If you are able to get back to the mural, parking is easy being that the nursery has a decent sized parking lot. As with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, I would either combine it with a visit to the nursery or you may want to consider making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

This mural is one that makes sense: Giant painted flowers on the side of a garden shop. It is eye…read morecatching, though it is set back from the road a bit. Still, the brightly colored cone flowers are beautiful and are attended by some friendly bees. The artist, international muralist/painter Jules "MuckRock" Muck was commissioned by the shop owners to paint the mural in 2019. The artist's signature is in the upper left. Review #2907

This is another of world renowned artist Jules Muck's murals that she painted while she was in Indy…read morein 2019. Muck is known as MuckRock in the art world. The mural depicts a skeleton, a character that has popped up in a few MuckRock's murals, sitting in the sukhasana position. The skeleton has 6 roses (3 on each side) in an arch around its body and has the artist's signature "MuckRock" tag in a pop up box coming from the skeleton's mouth. I am not sure of the murals meaning, but I am sure it is deep. The mural is located on the side Tinker Coffee overlooking a little alley. I just pulled into the alleyway, parked, got out and took a closer look. You can get an ok view driving by, but I recommend getting out if you are going to see it. This is artistically a nice mural. The detail on the skeleton is nice and I like MuckRock's use of shading. 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 wonderful nearby downtown attractions.

One of Jules "MuckRock" Muck's more whimsical murals can be found on the east wall (along the…read morealley) of Tinker Coffee. Painted during August of 2019, the mural shows all that remains after finding the ultimate meditation...bones. The skeleton is seated in the lotus position and apparently, became so deep in meditation that it forgot to eat. The skeleton is surrounded by six roses and the thought balloon "...Muck Rock ...". While in the area, check out some of the local businesses in this up and coming Tech 16/Riverside area. Changes are coming to the area quickly and you won't recognize it in a few years. Review #2892

This is a mural by local artists BA Thomas. She painted it in the summer of 2020 to add some beauty…read moreto an abandoned strip mall. It is painted on a wood board mounted over the entrance to one of the abandoned strip mall stores. It is the one on the end if that helps your narrow it down. It depicts pink flower blooms, tree branches, and a few other items, against a background that starts off as dark blue on both ends and work gets lighter as it moves toward the center, ending in a light cloudy blue. The blooms in mural represent traits that the artist believe are necessary any community to stand strong like dignity, hope, reconciliation, and sensitivity. The center piece of the mural, which the artist intended to represents the local community, is the black outline of two arms with their hands both reaching for a large pink peony, Indiana's state flower. This piece is somewhat abstract, but it makes much more sense now that I have context. It is a whimsical and colorful piece that is very thought provoking. In an odd way, I like it. The mural overlooks a vacant parking lot, so parking to get out and take a closer look is very easy. 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 wonderful murals on the vacant strip mall walls, to maximize your time and trip.

I was in stop-and-go traffic along I-70 this afternoon and spotted this very unusual artwork…read more Unfortunately, this was not a good place to park or visit as the sculpture is located inside the onramp from Madison Avenue onto the Interstate. I was able to find the description by searching https://www.indyartsguide.org/public-art/life-evolving/ and here we are. This is a 40-foot metal sculpture of a ribonucleic acid (RNA) nucleotide molecule. The location (mostly) is good because it is just south of the Eli Lilly and Company campus. The artwork was installed here in 2012. Life Evolving is the creation of Chilean-American artist and scientist Biagio Azzarelli, who lives in Indianapolis. There is a good writeup on https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/forty-foot-sculpture-symbolizes-lillys-indianapolis-commitment. [Review 17199 overall - 39 in Indiana - 716 of 2022.]

This sculpture is not in the best place to SAFELY get a good look. It is located just off of the…read moreI-70 on ramp from magazine street. The 40 foot tall sculpture was designed by Biagio Azzarelli and is made in the likeness of a ribonucleic acid (RNA) nucleotide molecule. In speaking of his sculpture, Azzarelli said "I am thrilled with the installation of Life Evolving. Its prominent location along I-70 will welcome people to downtown and, I hope, stimulate public conversation and scientific curiosity." I must be honest, I have seen it a few times and thought it was a radio tower, antenna, or a replica satellite. It is made of hollow steel spheres, beams and rings. It is a site to see, but you will better appreciate it with a explanation before your visit. The sculpture was the final installation of Indys' Green Welcome, where members of the community worked together to produce a new identity for their community. It is a collaborative effort by the Eli Lilly, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB), and the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT). It was made as part of Eli Lilly's 2010 Global Day of Service. The land that the sculpture is on was donated by INDOT. I do not recommend trying to stop at this sculpture. It is a drive by type attraction and the speed of which you do so is dictated by who is behind you. For some reason, I really like this sculpture. It is unique and I am sucker for road side attractions. So, anyway if you do pass this sculpture now at least you know what it is and not have to worry about getting zapped by radio waves.

This is another cool mural that we found a walk in the Riverwalk in Indianapolis. We came across it…read moretook some photos of it. How far ahead good art design in a cool name.

This is a very interesting piece that is part of the Arts Council of Indianapolis' successful 46…read morefor XLVI mural Initiative Program. It is the work of Hector Duarte and was painted in 2011. It kind has a Chinese New Years feel in my opinion. It is located under the canal walk's West Street overpass. It is the only mural on canal walk that actually wraps around the side of the overpass. The center piece or focal point of the mural is a mosaic tile piece that resembles a mirror. There are two images of a serpent, Quetzalcoatl, who is a Mesoamerican deity and the god of the arts, civilization and knowledge. Quetzalcoatl is seen returning to earth to look at himself in a mirror. The serpents are painted over a fire background. That's hot. Pun intended. The artist intended a deeper meaning with this mural of self-reflection, and a moment to reflect on history and the course of civilization. The mural is in decent shape considering its age, but is starting the fade a bit. The color are beginning to become dull. I like the detail that Duarte used, especially on the fire and the serpent. He has skills. Well, there is tons of metered street parking available near the entrance to the canal where the mural is located, so you can get out and take a look. Just be sure to make sure you are on the right side of the canal you want to be on. Whether it is the side the mural is on, or across from it, to give you more of an overhead view. There are also a few garages within a reasonable walking distance too. Obviously, this is not a mural that you can do a drive by on, so that is not an option. You have to hoof it. 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 wonderful murals in the area, There are a ton of them under the over passes along the canal, to maximize your time and trip.