This mural is massive. It not only covers Big Hoffas BBQ's main building, front, back, and sides,…read morebut it bleeds over to the building next door. It uses every inch of the building and incorporates flag masts on the buildings roof. It was painted in 2019 by Jackie McCracken and Robert Schaefer. The mural wall is not flat or smooth. It has ridged, kind of like a tin roof, and overlooks Big Hoffas' parking lot. The mural theme continues on into the restaurant. I am not sure of the tie in with Barbecue and pirates, but Big Hoffas is all in and seems to make it work. The mural is very colorful and has a lot going on. In the center you will find a couple of pirate ships sailing off the coast. The front door of the restaurant is used in the larger of the ships. The left side of the mural (as you are facing it), is very interesting. It is actually kind of 3D and has cutouts of a pirate scene with a swashbuckler bursting out of a window of a building and and 4 more pirates down below sitting by a campfire. There are also a set of white angel wings in between those pirates that are like those that are starting to pop up all over the place and where people can takes pictures in front of and make look like they are wearing them. They seem kind of out of place to me, but no big deal. The rest of the mural is mostly a coastal image. I love the artistry and use of color and can only imagine how long it took to paint it. You can not help but be "wow'ed" by this mural. You probably wont spend too much time checking this mural out. It is a lot to look at a digest. I was there about 10 minutes. So, I recommend coupling it with a visit to Big Hoff's to eat some of their delicious "Q". Since it overlooks their parking lot, parking here is easy. I would also recommend checking out that entire mural that includes the patio area and a whole other building next door.

Wow! What a statement piece mural has been added to Westfield. On the east walls (and wrapping…read morearound three other walls) of the Big Hoffa's BBQ and the Main Street Shoppes is one of the largest murals I've seen. The entire length of wall has been turned into a Pirate's Cove with multiple sailing ships, pirates, and even a few skeletons. The north ends of the buildings continue the mural to add images of an island paradise and a cloud covered sea. The mural was created by Rob Schaefer and Jackie McCracken in 2019. There is so much detail to see, I will pick just a few to highlight here. Ship's masts - Not only is there a giant mural, but some construction was done to turn the largest ship's masts into actual wooden structures with crow's nests that stick up above the wall of the mural. As you approach from the east, it makes you think it is a real sailing ship! Pirate theme - For anyone who has dined inside Big Hoffa's, there already existed a pirate theme, so kudos to the artists for taking that and making the entire building a not so subtle advertisement. Insta-worthy - If you can get here when there isn't a crowd, there is a section of the wall with a pair of angel wings where you can take a selfie while surrounded by pirates. This is one of those pieces you have to see for yourself to appreciate how much skill and effort went into creating the mural. The surfaces aren't smooth, but unless you look carefully, you can't tell that there are raised ridges that run vertically which add even more challenge. Although I am rarely a fan of other murals being painted over, (the space used to have a giant village painted in a somewhat primitive style), I can't deny that the visual appeal of this new mural is much greater to me. The next time you are in Westfield, make a point to stop by these shops! Review #3360

This piece is located in what is known as "Graffiti Alley 2.0", and area behind Square Cat Vinyl in…read moreFountain Square. It is a mural by Matthew Aaron and was painted in the middle of 2021. It was painted after some "miscommunication" led the landlord to paint over all the murals in the original Graffiti Alley with a bland taupe color. 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 piece depicts a bright red stick of dynamite with a black band on the top and bottom. The fuse in unlit. The dynamite is up against a blue background, which really makes it pop. This piece is very basic, but what I find interesting about it is that it is Aaron's signature piece. He has many I found dynamite murals all over the city, in many different shapes, sizes and configurations. They all have the same features though, the bright red stick of dynamite with the two black bands (one on top and one on bottom), and a white line going straight down the middle of it, from the top of the stick to bottom. Aaron sees dynamite as provocative, having both negative and positive connotations. You will find a larger and more prominent version of a dynamite mural painted by Aaron in the Fletcher Place neighborhood. As a side note, every time I see this piece I think of JJ from Good Times and in my head I say, DY-NO-MITE!!! I know, I am cheesy like that. This mural is tall and slim like JJ too, coincidence or not??? Ok, back on track. Anyway, 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 Graffiti Alley.

Chilly water is a cool public art mural by muckrock in a trendy Indianapolis neighborhood that…read moreserves as a patio backdrop to a Mexican eatery. My family and I was in town from Lousiville on a weekend getaway while my daughter has cheer comp. Her competition was a few miles down the road at the convention center when we decided to take a post comp lounge at the popular Bluebeard and check out the public art in its surrounding area. My family noticed this mural while leaving Bluebeard as it was in the Mexican eatery next door and we got a good view of it while leaving or public parking lot. Has a very fun vibe of a Skelton throwing up cheers and partying. Sets a cool and fun tone that honestly makes me want to dine at the place it is displayed at. So good job by the artist. While discovering Indy public art scene we came across muckrock work a whole lot. And they are very innovative and talented artists. We enjoyed a lot of there work and this piece was no different.

This is another mural by Jules "MuckRock" Muck that was painted during her 2019 visit. It is the…read morebackdrop of Chilly Water Brewing Company's outdoor patio. It depicts a skeleton holding a pint of beer in the outstretched arms of his right hand. The beer in the glass is spilling out. The splash of the spilling beer forms the artist's signature tag "MuckRock". The skeleton is wearing a green leaf crown and there are some music notes in the background, which is a nod to the owners' love of music. The background is rust colored and gives off rustic look and feel. The mural is ok. It is pretty basic and is not my favorite Muck Rock piece. It is still an interesting piece though, and enhances the business's patio. There is limited street parking available in front of and in the vicinity of the mural that is available for you to park, get out and take a closer look. 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 or making it part of a larger itinerary, to maximize your time and trip. You could considering visiting Chilly Water Brewing Company or one of the other nice restaurants/bars on that block such as Hotel Tango.

This mural had the distinction of being the longest continuous mural at the time. It spans over…read more1,230 feet, and was designed by Art Institute of Indianapolis student Patrick Viles for Eli Lily's 1st annual Global Day of Service, in conjunction with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc, an organization who mission is to unite people to beautify the city, improve the environment, and foster pride in the community. The mural depicts about 30 individual scenes including some popular Indianapolis landmarks like the Indianapolis Zoo, the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, the State Fair, and the city's south side. There is also murals of dolphins, a dinosaur, and football. It was a painted by volunteers from Lily, most of which had little or no formal art experience. It was a paint by number type of thing. It is eye catching and very colorful. The wall that the mural is painted on has lots of pitting and the mural is not in the best area. There is also a lot of litter along the road the mural is on. Surprisingly, it has not been the victim of any graffiti attacks, as far as I know. The mural is near other nice murals and graffiti This is a mural that is difficult to get a good look at. There is really no parking nearby and it is located off of a very busy street.I recommend doing a safe and strategic slow rolling drive by on this one. That is one of the few times that I would recommend that. Lily has done some great volunteer work around the city through the years and this is no exception.

As part of the original Lilly Day of Service in 2008, a Guinness World Record for the longest…read morecontinuous mural was painted on the east retaining wall of Madison Avenue north of Raymond Street. Individual color blocked panels show activities and fun places to go in Indianapolis. The mural reaches 1230 feet (just under a quarter of a mile!) In addition to the long mural, there is another mural farther north that has a music theme painted on a blue background. Across Madison Avenue on the west retaining wall (near Pleasant Run Pkwy) along the baseball diamond for Manual HS is another mural. This mural has portraits of famous Hoosiers in monochromatic colors surrounded by brightly colored butterflies. Review #1707

This mural is located on the side of an abandoned building in a colorful part of town. There is…read morestreet parking available as well as a little alley way behind the building that it is on to park and take a closer look. I parked in the alley. It is hard to get a good look at the mural doing a slow drive by. The mural has seen better days. The paint is in decent shape, but the wall that it is painted on is bad. Considering that it is only 2 years old, going on three, I would have expected it to be better. This is a simple mural that was painted by Tosca Carranza in 2019 and depicts 3 white calla lilies, set against a teal background. It is part of the Indy East Art Peace initiative, a partnership between the Arts Council of Indianapolis and Near East Area Renewal which aims to think use the arts to possibly help prevent crime. It is also an installment Carranza's "Many Flowers Murals" series that she uses to memorialize traumatic events in the Near Eastside Carranza intended the lilies to have two-fold symbolism; a wish for peace and a call for remembrance. She uses the white color to represent purity and renewal. When choosing the lily to paint, Carranza said "It went with my desire to want to promote peace in the neighborhood and to create art that makes a positive energy." I love a mural with a positive message and meaning behind it. However, as with most murals that I have reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You have to get out of your vehicle to see because of the way it sits on the building, no matter which way of the street you are traveling. Anyway, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other wonderful murals in the area, such as Kiss Kitties and Apple Catapult, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

Any contribution to bringing peace to a neighborhood is a welcome addition. In 2019, artist Tosca…read moreCarranza wanted to do something to help bring peace and unity to a neighborhood that was challenged with a reputation for higher crime and less than stellar relations with the police. The mural she created portrays giant white calla lilies on a colorful background. The site was a target for graffiti and now, southbound motorists on Rural can see this mural between Michigan and New York St. The mural is calming and the subject represents peace. The artist was commissioned by the Near East Area Renewal group. It has collaborated with the Arts Council of Indianapolis to help bring the artist, resident and police communities closer together in the "Indy East Art Peace" initiative. Review #2708

Next door to the massive mural installation "Birds of Indiana", the same artist painted two garage…read moredoors with the same shadow box technique that he used on his "Shadowbox Butterflies" at CityWay2. Located on the back of the Arts Council of Indianapolis building, the two murals of butterflies face an alley (N Scioto St) between Meridian and Pennsylvania. The one on the north door is a Karner Blue butterfly. The one on the south door is an American Lady butterfly. Both were painted in the fall of 2019 by French artist Youri Cansell who goes by "Mantra". He is known for his photo-realistic style of painting and his concern for preservation of the environment. He used a shadowbox technique of adding shadow to the framing of the mural. The butterflies seem to standout from the wall and are an unexpected burst of color in the alley setting. The next time you are near the Central Library, check out the murals just a block to the north. Review #3284

The sculpture was designed by Dick Lutin in conjunction with the Southeast Neighborhood Development…read moreCorporation (SEND). The base was designed and the site was prepared by Eric Etchison and Smock Fansler. It is a simple design that would be much better if it was not vandalized. The sculpture is intended to pay homage to the area's past. It has displays on two of its 3 panels with content about Fountain Square's history and culture. One of the panels has been busted out and has not been repaired. All the panels have a blue neon light that comes on at night and is supposed to represent moving water. The sculpture costed about $85,000 and was funded by the Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission, the Southeast Umbrella Organization and the Fountain Square Merchants Association. This is a decent piece, but definitely not worthy of a special trip to see. If you happen to be in the area then so be it. There is free street parking right across the street from this sculpture. 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 wonderful murals in the area to maximize your time and trip.

As you head southeast on Virginia Avenue over the I-65/I-70 interstates, you may notice a three…read moresided construct on the south side of the road. "Wishful Thinking" is the name of the installation and it is a cultural welcome to the Fountain Square district. Created by artist Dick Lutin in 2005 in cooperation with SEND (Southeast Neighborhood Development Corporation), the steel and stone piece is meant to be an abstract of a spraying fountain. Each of the tree panels is covered with images of Fountain Squares' history. At night, the built-in lighting shines through the panel fronts in shades of blue. Review #1887

This is one of Jules "MuckRock" Muck's many murals that she painted while in Indianapolis in 2019…read more This mural overlooks a vacant lot and is highly disrespected. There are two pile of mulch dumped right in front of the mural and there is an abandoned bus on the lot as well. The mural is showing a little bit of wear. The mural depicts two rabbits getting it on. The bottom rabbit is smoking a cigaret and they are both crossed with caution tape. The artists signature MuckRock tag appears a a cloud coming from one of the rabbit's rear and reads "MuckRock "hearts" Indy" This mural is actually a redo an original one that was painted on the side of an Eastside restaurant. It was the same setting, minus the caution tape. It was removed in less than 24 hours after receiving numerous complaints. The mural did have its share of reporters through. It was eventually replaced by another MuckRock mural of Bambi and Thumper. I like the bold statement that MuckRock takes with this mural and that she was able to do it over, be it in a different location. It is basic to intermediate artistically and outside of the obvious, is kind of boring. It is not my favorite MuckRock work, by far. For the record, I am not offended by the mural, nor was I offended by the original, but respect the opinions of those who are/were. I do not totally agree with the original being removed, but I do understand. Being that it overlooks and empty field, parking to get a closer look is very easy. As with most murals that I have reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 3 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other cool murals in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

They're back. One of the most talked about art installations in recent local history has found a…read morenew home on the side of an art gallery...but with a twist. The artist, international muralist Jules "MuckRock" Muck, was invited to paint her Muck Bunnies on the east wall of the building in August 2019. But this time, the artist painted proportionally sized yellow caution tape across the mural to stay away. If you have been living under a rock, the image originally was painted on the exterior wall of Beholder Restaurant on 10th. The owner of the building objected (even though the chef/restaurant approved) and painted over the mural the very next day. That caused even further uproar as some people remained offended even after the mural was removed and others were offended that the art was destroyed. Talk about controversy. And it was meaningless because the mural was already gone and all the talk was just that..talk. It couldn't change the past, either in the creation or destruction of the art. So what was the point of the outrage? So, now we have a self-censored version in a different area of town and we will see if this one causes a stir. What is sad is that this isn't the artist's most detailed or amazing art work. It is a rather simple image of two rabbits making more rabbits while one of the rabbits is smoking a cigarette. It's not even meant to appear lifelike. The artist can do incredibly detailed art when she wants to. It's just a cartoon style image of two rabbits doing something that everyone thinks of or has thought of doing, but as a society, we can't seem to talk about without offense. Sure, we can have rampant killings and drug abuse and crime, but we just accept those. But anything with sex? It is offensive and people get on their soap box to publicly denounce it. But what do they do behind closed doors? Why so serious? I probably won't change anyone's opinion, but the mural got me to write about it. I find it a bit humorous and I admire that in one simple mural, the artist is able to express so much. In this case, a picture (or mural) is worth a thousand words. Review #2886