Expanding Circuits, Stairs to the Moon, Rising Naturally
I began painting this mural on May 6th 2015, and continued until June 30th 2015. It is 25 feet tall by 80 feet wide wall that is south facing on 2nd and San Carlos, on the back wall of the TechShop facing the YWCA. It is a three-part narrative I call “Expanding Circuits – Stairs to the Moon – Rising Naturally”. This is the 8th mural I have painted, but it is definitely the largest! Working collaboratively in the past, the second largest mural I worked on was a 10ft x 10ft stretch at the UCSC Campus. Around San Jose at Meridian & Curci, Camden & Meridian, and 10th & Keyes St you will find the smaller Art Box Projects I have painted over the last few years. In Redwood City, they have just started their Utility Box project, and I painted a box at Redwood Shores & Shoreline Blvd in July of 2015.
I have always wanted to create a large mural, and since I was a teenager, I imagined myself becoming a muralist, and what better place than my hometown. When the proposition came for me to tackle this space, I thought about maybe keeping the mural under a certain height for ease. Once I was able to get my resources together, mainly a scissor lift, I decided, it would be best to just suck it up and do the whole wall! I didn’t do all of this alone. About 14 people, over the course of the first week, helped me cover large areas with color that I marked off. Kids, friends of friends, and even people just passing by saw what I was trying to do, and offered to help throughout the process. It was amazing how many people wanted to be apart of this community landmark.
The pros and cons of doing a mural like this in the community are honestly mostly pros! I have a history of doing performance painting, and live painting, therefore its easy not to second-guess myself when people are watching. There are never any mistakes on the canvas (only on the floor below ;-) I loved people coming up and engaging with the work, but sometimes when I was really high up on the lift, and the bar crowd would come through, it was difficult to communicate from 30 feet in the air, that’s when having a friend on the ground level came in handy to answer their questions. The most unexpected and amazing interaction throughout this piece was when a young lady came by and saw the little bees in the top corner, and the radiating moon, and recognized them from my other murals across town! She eagerly asked if I had done some other boxes in the neighborhoods and that she could distinguish my style across them. I instantly felt honored, like what I have been working towards just instantly was realized, even if only by a few people.
Each element of this triptych mural tells an interconnected story that even links to my other murals across San Jose. My paintings relate to the natural world and depict a fusion of symbolic and cultural forms. Drawing inspiration from native plant forms, mandala creations, and patterns in cultural symbols that I’ve encountered through my experiences, I interpret these forms in my paintings through pattern, repetition, and symmetry. Shapes and symbols combine and layer in a pictorial representation of a living, pulsing, and fantastical world. In this piece, I depicted a version of my manifested world. I wanted to show the Silicon Valley as a haven for innovation and integration of natural landscape. Symbols appearing in this work are related to the phenomena of wireless Internet. Promoting an interconnected view, “wifi” ripples reflect back to us from the stars, circuits form as the roots of plants, and broad strokes of light create pathways that can communicate across dimensions. This is my dream for the valley, to remember its relationship with nature, and find ways to preserve what we have left of this beautiful landscape, but also not to limit the possibilities of awakening consciousness through the opportunities of communication and technology.
It took a community to make this piece happen. It’s hard to have all the energy to stand out there alone day after day and into the night. All artists taking on a task like this require a large support team of people bringing music, food, extra hands, and even just a second opinion. This mural came together more as an improvisation, and my initial sketch was not very technical or defined. I believe that the free flowing nature of its formation, and the community effort in its construction are visible in its colors, composition, and the meaning that instills in my intention. We are not here alone, and to isolate parts of our community out of pride or fear will only hold us back from achieving our goals overall.
- LAuruS Myth 2016 ©
Photos by Exhibition District, Cherri Lakey and Laurus Myth