The irony of allowing humanity to fall so deep into greed that the unhoused population sit on this…read morebench without anywhere to call home. Says lots without saying a word.

This is a very powerful and intriguing piece that is located off to the side of the Roberts Park…read moreUnited Methodist Church. This sculpture is the work of Timothy Schmalz, a Canadian sculptor and devout Catholic, who was commissioned by Roberts Park United Methodist Church to create this bronze sculpture in 2015. It also goes by the name Jesus the Homeless. As nice as it is, this piece is not one of a kind. There are a bunch of them placed all around the world, well over 100. The original was made in 2013 and is located at Regis College, University of Toronto. Other locations that you will find the sculpture include Australia, Singapore, Israel, South Korea, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Columbia and the Dominican Republic to name just a few. This sculpture is very realistic and detailed. Which brings me to a funny story. In October 2020, police in Ohio were dispatched to a report of a homeless man sleeping on a park bench. Ironically, this call was made within 20 minutes of the Homeless Jesus sculpture being installed. Yep, some called the police on the statue. I will admit, I had to do a double take to make sure it was not real when I saw it. And you are certain to be fooled if you are driving by. It should be noted the the sculpture in Vatican City has received the blessing of the Pope. The bench is about 7 feet wide and depicts a covered figure, assumed to be Jesus, laying on it. The only real identification being the crucifixion wounds on the figures feet. For the low price of 99.99 you too can have your own mini-homeless Jesus made by the artist himself. The sculpture is just off of the Roberts Park United Methodist Church parking lot and runs along Alabama Street. There is tons of metered street parking available in front of and adjacent to the sculpture. There is also a commercial parking lot directly behind it that you can pull into, get out and take a closer look too. I guess you could also do a safe and strategic slow rolling drive by and get a a half decent look, but I do not recommend that. You will not get the full effect of the sculpture. As with most sculptures 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 sculptures, murals and attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. Brickhead3 and Viewfinders would be a great start.

You can tell that this was once an awesome mural. But those days are long behind it. The mural was…read morepainted in 2017 by the FAB Crew, with the assistance of an artist named Gamble, as a tribute to the Cincinnati-based, nationally-known graffiti artist Speedbeard (Jason Brunson), who passed away suddenly in 2017. The mural depicts Speedbeard's pet French bulldog, Frenchie, the inspiration behind many of his characters The dog is wearing Speedbeard's trademark black t-shirt, and has parodies of Speedbeard's full-sleeve tattoos. You can see that the painting has a lot of detail and their inspiration bled through. However, the mural is greatly deteriorated and the wall that it is painted on is actually chipping away piece by piece. I had to do a double take to make sure that I had the correct mural. This mural needs a lot of help, but may be beyond saving. As with most murals, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. There is parking available in the alley that the mural is in and it is easily accesible. However, you can probably even do a drive by. It is best to plan out additional stops at many of the other wonderful murals in the area to maximize your trip.

The FAB Crew (Sacred 317 & 6Cents) and Gamble worked on this mural in the summer of 2018 as a…read moretribute to famed artist "Speedbeard" out of Cincinnati. Speedbeard owns a French Bulldog, has a beard, and full sleeve arm tattoos. The bulldog and the arm tattoos were incorporated into this mural along with the neck chain with Speedbeard on it. If you have a knack for reading the graffiti style writing, you can see the artist's names, though I struggle with the two on the right side more than on the left. The dog looks real. The rest of the mural is a swirl of vibrant colors. Very visually effective in catching the eye of passersby. I hope this one will last longer than most of the other great murals that have been at this location. Review #1878

This is a great spot for locals and visitors alike! We stopped by from out of town thinking it…read morewould be a good winter activity for our little one while it's too cold to walk much outside. The conservatory exceeded our expectations! Admissions is affordable at $5 per person, but it was free the day we visited because of a reptile show! We got to see tortoises, skinks, salamanders, tarantulas, snakes, and more! Inside the conservatory, there are fish and a couple other critters permanently on display. The signage around the gardens is informative and interesting- and the plants are simply beautiful! So well cared for and healthy. I could have walked around the loop 5 times and noticed new things each time. There are several places to sit and relax throughout the gardens (we fed our baby on one of the benches). There is a restroom and coat racks- which you'll need because the gardens are quite warm! What a great find for the afternoon! Bonus that it's located right in a park, by a library, several cute places to stop and eat, and public art. The only downside I can think of is that there wasn't a ton of parking- probably more accessible when there isn't a special event going on!

The conservatory offers a variety of plants, flowers, and serene views of the waterfall. The…read morewaterfall and fish pond was definitely my favorite view out of everything offered at the conservatory with their scenic views and decor. The sunken garden was an okay view, the fountains were beautiful but there wasn't any other foliage, flowers, or scenery out there to enhance the view. The garden definitely has potential to be better than it is.

As a tourist visiting for a weekend: having lived in Silver Lake (LA, CA) for a few years and…read morehaving walked around a bit and dined in this area (Fountain Square), I think it's safe to say that this is the or at least one of the hipster areas in the Circle City. The area feels artsy and very pedestrian/bike friendly. The restaurants look nice, but not overly expensive or unapproachable. It's funny because when I visit new cities, I tend to gravitate towards the restaurants in these type of areas. On this trip, I ate at both Milktooth and Bluebeard - both wonderful places to eat. I also had drinks at Four Finger Distillery and Inferno Room. It's located really close to the main downtown Indianapolis area. I actually parked in the area between here and the downtown area when I went to the Colts game on the Sunday I was here.

It has changed from an artsy community to a more heavily food focused area. Not that I am…read morecomplaining. I thoroughly enjoy all sorts of foods. I take my foodie group to this area to dine out a lot. And you can take a nice walk around the area and admire the murals of this area. There are so many, gorgeous and from such talented artists. I often take a stroll before or after dinner to see the murals or peruse through the little shops. One of the big plus points had always been the free parking. Unfortunately it seems to be changing as I have ended up in a couple of paylots lately. I am not amused. So do yourself a favor and double check your parking spot to see if you need to pay.

Indiana got all kinds of cool murals and stuff. There's another example of it. The Indy butterfly…read moremurals right there pretty close to the Pacers stadium fun spot to check out.

This mural is located on the downtown CVS. It was painted by Kelsey Montague in 2019 and…read morecommissioned by the developers of CityWay2. Montague painted a few other murals in the Cityway complex while she was here. This is an interactive piece that has been following a national Instagram trend. There is a set of big wings for adults and small wings for the littles. So, this mural is not very unique as you can find similar pieces all across the country. The mural is meant for you to stand in front of and give you the appearance that you have wings. I almost posed for one of those then I remembered I was a grown man with a little self dignity. Just kidding, the wings make for good photos. There are also a large mural of Indy native butterflies on the adjoining wall titled Shadowbox Butterflies. It is a very nice piece and goes well with this one. As with most murals I have visited, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. If you are quick, you could probably park in the CVS parking lot. 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 CityWay to view.

This mural is located in what I refer to as the public art hub, Fountain Square. There is no…read moreshortage of public art in this area. This mural is the work of Alicia Zanoni, who was commissioned by the Southeast Neighborhood Development. It was originally painted in 2019 on two 8' x 14' boards. Zanoni's goal was to have the mural show the spirt and character of Fountain Square. The mural has overt imagery like the cardinal and peonies, the State's bird and flower, respectively. But there is also so hidden images that you have to look closely to see like the reflection of the fountain across the street from the mural, in the cardinal's eye, the Indianapolis skyline, as seen from Fountain Square, and several distinct houses from the neighborhood are hidden in the peonies' petals. The mural has kind of a smokey appearance and I really love how the incorporated the supporting beams of the structure the mural is under, into the mural. Zanoni had help from passerbys with the mural. She allowed people just passing by the mural to join in the fun and help paint it. She intended that gesture to provide a connection with community members and the mural. Hoping that every time they walk past the mural they will be able to spot their contribution. The mural was hit with graffiti in 2020 and the vandal was identified. The tipster, however, turned down the $1,000 reward and just asked that the money go toward rehiring the two artists come back and fix their work, if possible. Zanoni fixed the mural in 2020 and it looks as good as the original. There is street parking available right in front of the mural or you could probably not even have to leave your vehicle and do a slow rolling drive-by. As with most murals that I have reviewed, though, 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, three are right across the street from it and one is behind it, to maximize your time and trip.

In the fall of 2019, local artist Alicia Zanoni added a site specific mural to the backdrop of the…read moreoutdoor performance area next to Pioneer. Two large panels (8'h x 14'w) display a beautiful island paradise in deep reds, blues, and greens. But what makes this mural special is that it has lots of local connections. Sure, there are the obvious ones of the state bird and flower (cardinal and peony), but if you look closer, you will find more. A silhouette of downtown Indianapolis if viewed from the fountain has been added on the distant horizon of the mural. If you look in the eye of the cardinal, you will see a reflection of the fountain! The artist who knows the history of the neighborhood was historically German, has studied famous German artists (Ernst, Nussbaum, & Cramer) to incorporate their styles into the mural. Very Cool! The mural was commissioned by SEND (Southeast Neighborhood Development) and while painting, visitors were encouraged to help paint the mural to foster a sense of involvement/connection to the space. Review #3361

I started seeing this work on Instagram, and had no idea who's work it was, after doing some…read moredigging I found out it was the controversial artist. Jules "muck rock" I remember when she painted bunnies on the side of beholder and that caused a whole to do. Now she came back to Indy and did a ton of work around the city that I've enjoyed checking out. I'm glad someone was here putting art everywhere, and hope that it acts as an inspiration to other artists. We have lots of blank walls in Indy. The luscious Indy are bright red lips, with gold teeth that have Indy in them. Despite the controversy it is nice to see pops of art around.

Indy has a new mural that grabs your attention each time you pass it. A giant pair of luscious…read morelips are slightly parted, revealing teeth with the letters spelling out "INDY". The artwork was added in Aug '19 by international artist/muralist Jules "MuckRock" Muck while on a barnstorming tour of Indy. She hadn't planned to stay very long, but because so many people have contacted her to paint a mural for them, she has been here more than a week! The lips aren't unique to Indy. She has painted similar murals in several cities across the country. But it is unique for Indy. While a lot of our murals are graffiti tagging, this mural is clearly identifiable and relatable. And the placement is perfect since Fountain Square is becoming a destination for eating, it doesn't take much imagination to make the connection between these lips and food. While in the area, take time to notice the other murals that share the same parking lot. Next to the lips is "The Lovers of Indianapolis" by Christian Quintin in 2011 (part of the 46 for XLVI SuperBowl promotion). Across the lot is "The Colors of Cancer" which was added as part of Lilly's "Oncology on Canvas" collection back in 2010. (see Yelp reviews for each for more information.) There is also a Saxophonist Silhouette on an outbuilding on the north end of the parking lot and an abstract mural on the north side of the Mass Avenue Knits business by Teri Barnett (2007). Review #2879

I have passed this mural many times and not noticed it. I decided to make today a mural finding…read morefield trip. The mural wraps around two sides of the Indy Auto Man's Service Center, the front and side and covers 2,400 sqft. It was commissioned in 2021 by the Indy Auto Man Car Dealership and created by Nekoda Witsken. She was assisted by Travis Neal, Bezol One, and Dan "Invisible Hometown" Handskillz. it is meant to represent the business's core values of initiative, growth, integrity, transformation, and resourcefulness. Employees were polled as to which symbols and heroes they felt best represented these values and their feedback was then used to design the mural. The mural not only has the dog, it has MLK, and Freddy Mercury. I like this mural it is large and very detailed. The colors really pop out and pull you in. You can park in the business's lot to get out and see the mural up close. I highly recommend planning out stops at some of the other wonderful murals that are within a mile or two of this one to maximize your time. Fun fact: This mural served as the backdrop to the inaugural Indy Arts Fest as well.

One of the most talented and successful local artists stays busy adding new murals faster than I…read morecan keep up with her. Local artist Nekoda Witsken collaborated with some other local artists to work on an enormous two sided mural on the south side. One of the special details of this mural is that instead of just using brushes, she used spray paint on this metal surface. The front of the building has many figures and faces (including a full sized Fredddie Mercury. Over on the right side of the building you will see the title of the mural as well as a larger than life image of her dog "Potato".. There is also a dog tag with names of people who love Potato as well as the artist. one of the things I enjoy about this artists' work is that there are many styles of art that she can choose to use. I've seen enough of her art that I can arecognize much of it without her signature. Even when she worked with other artists to complete the work, she has such distinctive touches that I can still find them. Review #3969

As part of an open call for science fiction murals for the 2019 Backalley Ballyhoo, Garbage Girl in…read moreSpace is located near the roof line of the alley behind Square Cat Vinyl in Fountain Square. The festival celebrates psychedelic art and music and the alley has a new collection of murals, mostly added in 2019. This particular mural pays homage to the science fiction comics of the 1960's (complete with the comic code stamp of approval!) It shows a female astronaut "Garbage Girl" blazing through space astride her trusty garbage can while shooting a funky "ray" gun. The artwork is not sophisticated and is not anatomically accurate, but that's okay because it mimics the style of art that was popular with kids who grew up reading of space adventures. I have a particular attachment to the mural because: 1 - I grew up reading comic books in the 60's; 2 - I predicted that this artist would one day have a mural in Indianapolis and be posted to the Public Art Directory of the Arts Council of Indianapolis. Her name is Madysen Koontz and she was a Herron Student as well as being an instructor at the Indianapolis Art Center in Broad Ripple. I first found her murals while on a road trip to Henry County and found two of her murals while she lived in New Castle and participated in the AAHC Mural Club (in 2016 & 2018). I thought her work stood out from the rest. Even though this mural is a bit crudely depicted, I've seen enough of her work to know that she can paint in a wide range of styles. She just happened to select this style to fit the theme of the festival. The next time you are in Fountain Square, check out the alley that runs parallel to Virginia Avenue (1/2 block north) between Woodlawn and Shelby. Public art is once again booming in Indy. Review #2946

This work is by Dan Thompson aka (Artistically Known As) Dan Handskillz. It is rare for an artist…read moreto get a mulligan, but that is the case with this mural. Originally painted in 2018, this mural had to be redone the wood panels that the artist used to paint the murals were very durable or built to last. So, he got the opportunity to paint it again in 2019, but on more sturdy steel panels. It is a two part mural that consists of two separate panels. He had to repaint it a third time after being vandalized in March of 2021. He should be able to paint this in his sleep by now. He tried to stay as true as possible to the original but also wanted to expand with the times. He got the design from the the clusterborg/junkbot concept and depicts a futuristic robotic arm on one panel, reaching out to an outstretched human arm on another panel. The piece is very detailed and colorful. I like it. And the fact that he had to do it twice makes it that much more impressive. It is very similar to the Michelangelo piece, The Creation of Adam. But this just shows the arms, without the full bodies. Anyway, it is a nice piece. There is street parking available right across the street from the mural. As with most murals that I have reviewed, though, 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, three are right across the street from it, to maximize your time and trip.

Some art doesn't need interpretation. You simply see it and it is beautiful, or whimsical, and you…read moredon't really wonder what the artist was thinking. I think that is why a lot of artists don't label their work. Other pieces may border on the edge of familiarity, but are left to your interpretation. I think this piece, even titled, is one that is open for interpretation. I was not able to discuss the piece with the artist who is a bit of a mystery himself. So, I simply encourage you to check out this mural and see what you find a connection to. Back in Italy, Michelangelo created the "original' Creation of Adam just over 500 years ago depicting the moment when God reached out to his creation and gave life to the first man. This similarly titled mural pays homage to the moment of creation with two large hands reaching towards each other. On this new mural, one hand is an expected human (or is it God like) hand and the other is somewhat mechanical looking or possibly gloved hand. All kinds of theories come to mind about the intention of the artist, but since I haven't talked with him, I can only speculate. Since I've been following public art in the Indy area for several years now, I am familiar with this artist's work. However, the story is complex and one I don't fully understand. All around Fountain Square and Broad Ripple, you will find work by artist Dan Thompson. Dan keeps recreating himself because he changes how he signs his works and continues to change, so maybe there is something about this mural that signifies moments in his own life. This mural is signed Invisible Hometown. If you look around town, you may find pieces signed by Dan Handskillz, 6 Cents, or FAB Crew (Fantastic Aerosol Brothers of which Dan was half). There may even be more names on his works since he has collaborated on different crews and may have even signed his own name sometimes. As an outsider, it appears he is recreating himself as an artist. So maybe this mural is autobiographical. (I could be way off on this since I have to speculate.) If you want to see this mural in person, go to the location of the former Pioneer Alpine restaurant and entertainment venue. On one side of the venue (facing Shelby Street is another mural called "View from Fountain Square" by Alicia Zanoni (see separate review). On the other side of the panels is the mural "Creation of Adam". If you come see these, you can check in at both! I believe this mural was created in 2019. If Dan does an interview with my friends at the Arts Council of Indiana and shares more about this piece, I will add the link to this business. Maybe this is simply meant to be enjoyed. But it is interesting to wonder what the artist was thinking about or inspired by to put so much into a mural. Review 3852