It is and has been one of my favorite murals around town for a very long time. Apparently it was…read morepainted in 2011. And there for a while they painted the near by traffic light box with the same picture, just much smaller. Unfortunately I think that has been removed now, sadly. I love the colors, it looks so nice and airy, makes me think of freedom. Hair blowing in the wind, a content look on her face. I admit I know nothing about art and go strictly by how the work moves me. So go see for yourself and see what you think of it.

Eduardo Mendieta was commissioned by the Arts Council of Indianapolis to paint this mural as part…read moreof their successful 46 for XLVI mural initiative in 2011. Most of the art that are part of that initiative are amazing. This is not one of them though. The mural is painted in four colors primarily, white, black, gray and blue. When I look at it I see a somewhat abstract woman with white rats coming from her against a blue background. It is my first review of a mural by Mendieta and it not one of my favs. The mural is supposed to depict a somewhat abstract woman emerging from water. For the artist, the woman's emergence is intended to reference the breaking of planes on many fronts, including work, relationships and life. Ultimately, it represents the over-arching concept of self-empowerment. But to be honest, I do not see it. The mural is on the side of the Mass Avenue Chiropractors building and overlooks a private parking lot. There is metered street parking available near the mural and if you are feeling like a rebel you could pull into the parking lot, get out real quick and take a closer look. You could probably also get a good luck from your windshield by doing a safe and strategic slow rolling drive by. As with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is 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 and attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

This is a two-piece sculpture that is located in a round-about between the Christel DeHaan Fine…read moreArts Center and Esch Hall on the UIndy campus. It is part of UIndy's Sculpture Walk, sponsored by Fifth Thirds Bank. You are able to pull up a map of the 20 plus sculptures online and make a day of visiting each piece. The piece is made of ceramic and is the work of Lee Benson. They were made in 2007 and stands 10 feet tall. The two pieces are not very distinguishable and have kind of an eerie skeleton or mummy vibe. Kind of reminds me of a fossil image. The figures are also half of the bodies that look like if put together could form one single figure. The figure on the left, as you are facing it, represents Eve. And the sculpture of the right is Benson's depiction of Adam. This is an intriguing piece that leaves its interpretation to the beholder. I see it as them coming from one person to form the two. There is a small placard on the ground next to the sculpture that has its name and artist on it, along with a QR code that was meant to be scanned and would give you more information about the piece. Being that the sculpture is located on the UIndy campus there is a lot of parking available, however, most of it requires a parking permit. I just parked in an open spot, got out and took a closer look. I was not in the spot long. 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. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other wonderful pieces of public art on campus, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. As I previously mentioned, you could download the Art Walk map that is online and make it a half a day or so.

Located within the roundabout on the east end of the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center is a two…read morepiece art installation called "Adam and Eve". The ceramic pieces were created by Lee Benson. The two halves depict Adam on the left, Eve on the right. They are not proportioned to the generally accepted physical ratios as real humans, but are close enough to be identifiable. The characters almost look skeletal in the way their bone colored images are settled on the clay colored background of the piece. The jagged lines on the internal edges make it appear as if the two were separated from one which is a fitting interpretation of the original story. Review #1675

This is another mural that is part of the Arts Council of Indianapolis' 46 for XLVI mural…read moreinitiative in 2011. It is painted on the side of Raffi's and is a block away from the post office. It was painted by Amy Rheinhardt and is very nice artistically, but its colors are kind of dull in my opinion and do not pop. It aims to pay hommage to Broad Ripples' foundation in music and depicts a man with flowers, a woman, a man who has lost control of his briefcase and the papers flying in the wind, a dove, a woman who appears to be sleeping and a young boy with his dog on a leash all being swept away by the wind being created by a man playing a violin. Talk about your modern day pied piper. The man. with the violin is pulling the people from a side of the mural with just a plain curtain to the other side of the mural that has a small townscape and and colorful background that transitions from light pink to dark red. This may be representative of the music bringing the city to life. This mural has great detail and is artistically pleasing to the eye. I like it. It is in great shape, especially considering its age. I find it appealing and an interesting piece. There is metered street parking within a short walk of this mural or you can just pull into the alley right next to the mural to park and 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 is are a few in the adjacent alley and tons within a reasonable walking distance.

One of the most viewed murals in the city is "Swept Away" located on the west end of Broad Ripple…read moreAvenue. In 2011, artist Amy Rheinhardt painted the mural as part of the SuperBowl 46 for XLVI mural program. The mural shows a number of people (and a dog!) flying while following a Pied Piper type musician who plays music that sweeps up the listeners. The mural pays tribute to Broad Ripple's history of providing music to the community. It also appears that the life is drab and dull without music (like a curtain). Following the musician draws back the curtain and shows a world full of color. Review #1495

This is a neat little mural. It was painted for the 2012 Subsurface Art Expo by the graffiti artist…read moreDevious. It depicts a purple robot with a bottle of wine in his hand having a slip and fall. The robot has another mouth in his mid-section and is surrounded by purple bubbles and blue triangles. I don't know if there is any additional symbolism. I can't tell if he slipped on the pink stuff or if he slipped because he is drunk. That is the beauty of art though. Sometimes it is up to your interpretation. There is free street parking nearby where you can park, get out and get a closer look at the mural. Anyway it is a nice piece. As with most murals, this is probably not a very long stop, even though you have to cover a few levels in the garage. 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.

Although much of the graffiti art that has been installed this century has been temporary, this…read moremural by artist "Devious" was created as part of the SubSurface 2012 project. The purple robot can be found on the back of the New Day Meadery on the northeast corner by the fountain in Fountain Square. The mural shows the robot trying to be a little too human and getting sloshed on a bottle of wine which contributes to the robot falling backward. Thankfully, the wine doesn't spill on his tennis shoes! Review #1874

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

This piece has seen better days. It is another mural that was painted by Jules Muck aka MuckRock in…read more2019. She has a ton of murals all over the city. It looks nice and is in very good shape. The colors are so vivid and the butterfly and caterpillar look so realistic. I love MuckRock's use of shadows. The mural depicts a caterpillar, that is next to a cocoon, which is next to a butterfly, signifying the transformation of a caterpillar to a butterfly. It is painted on the Horizon House, a homeless shelter and is meant to emphasize change into a better version of oneself. It is a great location for that mural to give people hope that really need it. I was teetering between 3 and 4 stars on this one, but the message and location of the mural bumped it up for me. Anyway, it is a nice and simple piece. There is parking available right in front of the mural (it is in a lot), 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, even you may reflect a bit more on this one. 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.

In 2019, three images were added to the side of Horizon House by artist/muralist Jules "MuckRock"…read moreMuck. The three colorful paintings of a caterpillar, pupae, and butterfly show the metamorphosis that takes place in becoming the final level of advancement through a life cycle. What makes this mural even better is the placement on the side of Horizon House, a place dedicated to help the homeless transition to becoming self-sustaining and hopefully, better able to live their lives to the fullest. There are a couple other murals at this location, so be sure to check those out if you visit. Horizon House is located along Washington Street just east of where it is crossed by I-65/I-70. Southeastern Avenue begins there and you can pull into a parking lot next to Horizon House on either side of the building off Southeastern. Review #2932

I have always loved this Jiffy Lube mural. It has been around for years, but I still smile every…read moretime I see it. It has a bit of a tribal feel to it with vibrant colors. It depicts a brightly colored snake weaving through the jungle leaves. It certainly catches your eye.

This mural is the work of a collaboration are artist known as Blend Creative Minds (Erica Parker,…read moreRafael Caro, and Lauren Neely). It was created under the Jiffy Lube and Arts Council of Indianapolis's Every Part Matters mural project. The artist got their inspiration for the mural from Brazilian folklore which shares the same name as it title. "Boitatá" is represented by a snake of fire or light, who is said to bring light into a dark world and is a sign of protection and hidden treasures. The piece was painted in 2018, and appears to be in decent shape. It depicts a bright orange flaming snake (boitata) weaving through some bright colors leaves and foliage, set against a deep blue background. The art work is basic but still decent. It is well above my skill level. I like Jiffy Lube's support and commitment to local artist. Their program is a wonderful way top feature this ascending artist. I am glad that they have kept it going for so many years and continue to do so. There are many spots around the mural to park, get out and take a closer look. I just pulled right in front of it. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, 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.

This piece of art is located in ArtsPark located behind the Indianapolis Art Center. It is a water…read moredrop shaped stainless steel framed piece covered with 6000 UV-resistant, bright blue-tinted Plexiglas square tiles. Some of the tiles has writing on them that answer the question, "what you have discovered". The piece demands your attention when you enter the park and really catches your eye. Its dimensions are 19 feet wide, 12 feet tall, 6 feet deep. The piece's creator is Beth Nybeck and it was made in 2012. It is the result of Indianapolis Art Center's first National Endowment for the Arts grant. definitely a must see and you can see other nice pieces of art in the park as well. And for the very low price of free.

There is a large blue sculpture on the northeast side of the Indianapolis Art Center. The piece…read morewas created by artist Beth Nybeck during a one week residency at the Center in collaboration with people in the community. The piece has a base structure which is covered in 6000 tiles that have writing on them. Folks in the community were asked to write down on the tile the answer to "What have you discovered?". So, the piece has an eye catching pop of color to draw your attention, and then answers to the question if you get close. The piece, created in 2012, was only supposed to be temporary, but has maintained its place beyond the original plan of 3-5 years. Review #1531