#worcestermurals

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"MAMA"

by Noségo

Philadelphia based Yis Goodwin, aka Noségo, uses "a marriage of dynamic patterns and vibrant colors" to paint "whimsical environments with characters created from a place of playful imagination and the natural world." Noségo also says themes of boundlessness run as a common motif throughout his work. In 2017 Noségo was in Worcester, MA for @PowWowWorcester and combined his trademark themes with this work facing Ormond St for the children of the Elm Park Elementary School.  @nosego/

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HERMES AND PERSEUS

by PichiAvo

Aided by his winged sandals Hermes was able to move between the worlds of the gods and mortals and served as the emissary and messenger of the Greek gods. When Perseus was given the quest to bring Polydectes the head of Medusa he armed himself with several gifts from the gods and borrowed Hermes's sandals enabling him to fly. In 2017 Spanish art duo PichiAvo—masters at merging classical sculpture and contemporary urban art—were in Worcester, MA for the annual Pow!Wow! festival and painted this depiction of Perseus wearing Hermes' sandals. This mural is one of several painted by festival participants at the Sever Street Apartments.  @pichiavo/  @powwowworcester/

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CHANDLER MAGNET

by Lalo Yunda and Jesse Smith

I continue to be blown away by how seamlessly so many great tattoo artists transition to painting walls. As with any other art form Colombia-born Lalo Yunda believes that communication is the cornerstone of great tattoo work and he now works out of his Brooklyn studio applying his love of drawing to a diverse range of mediums and styles. Owner of @LooseScrewTattoo in Richmond, VA, Jesse Smith did his first tattoo more than 20 years ago—winning numerous awards and appearing in virtually every tattoo magazine in the years since—and is best known for his quirky colorful and illustrative work. Together Yunda and Smith joined forces for @PowWowWorcester in 2018 and once again demonstrated the depth of tattoo talent out there with this wall facing May St at Worcester's Chandler Magnet Elementary School.  @lalotattoos/  @jessesmithtattoos/

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ELM PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

by Evaristo Angurria

Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Omar Garcia, aka Evaristo Angurria, found early in life he could use drawing and graphic expression as a means of processing things he didn't understand about realities outside his Alcarrizos neighborhood. Growing up he studied advertising and graphic design, and as his range of talents expanded he also began teaching a variety of university art courses. Somerville Arts Council says Angurria spent time as a youth in his mother's hair salon and as means of honoring her, and the important part hair rollers play in the life of Dominican women, Angurria's figures are frequently depicted in rollers. For @PowWowWorcester in 2017 Angurria—despite battling hurricanes to and dealing with a lost passport—painted this young model for the Elm Park Elementary School, facing John St in Worcester, MA.  @angurria/

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"THE ARRIVAL"

by Dragon76 and Woes

Born in Shiga, Japan, but now based in New York, Dragon76's energetic work explores the coexistence of opposites such as "past and future, stillness and motion, and evil and justice." With wall space more limited in Japan live painting events are more common and, being comfortable working fast in a live setting, Dragon76 used victory in a New York Art Battle to propel his career in the U.S. Oahu-born Aaron Martin, aka Woes, got into graffiti through hip hop and was inspired to take his creativity to a new level while exploring the new art movement on the mainland. Best known for his Angry Woebot pandas, Woes is not only a prolific painter of walls but has met with success in galleries and with his toy designs. In 2018 Woes and Dragon76 teamed up on this fabulous mash up for @PowWowWorcester painted at Chandler Magnet Elementary School at Chandler and May Streets.  @dragon76art/  @woes/

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SEVER STREET, WORCESTER

by Apexer

"As a muralist" says San Francisco artist Ricardo Richey, aka Apexer, "you have to be aware of your environment and audience." In 2017 Apexer crossed the country to participate in @PowWowWorcester  painting this work at the Sever Square Apartments on Sever Street in Worcester, MA, and providing residents "an environment they could be proud of." Remembering his own childhood Apexer says the kids of the neighborhood engaged him in games and he even conducted an impromtu spray class, inviting kids and parents alike to collaborate on some of the lower portion of the mural-—undoubtedly adding immensely to their ownership and enjoyment of the work.  @apexer/

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"ELIMINATING RACISM, EMPOWERING WOMEN”

by Sydney James

"Brushstrokes that seem to be aimless lines," @1xrun-blog says Detroit native Sydney G. James's "deep hues and complex layering" soon become rich, emotional portraits. Speaking of this 2018 work for @PowWowWorcester — painted at the entry to YWCA Central Massachusetts off of Franklin St — @DiscoverCentralMA described the choice of artists this way. “Sydney paints walls that explore how black women are the most marginalized people in society. . . . The YWCA's mission is eliminating racism and empowering women. And there was no artists that embodied that more than Sydney James. Her piece is an embodiment of the YWCA’s mission.”  @sydneygjames/

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SEVER STREET APARTMENTS

by Caratoes

"The best part of painting murals is feeling a real appreciation from the neighborhood."  —Caratoes

Born in a tiny village in Belgium to parents from Hong Kong, Cara To, aka Caratoes, moved to the Netherlands after studying game design. She started painting on the streets of Amsterdam in 2011, but then moved to Hong Kong, looking to discover her roots but also developing her unique artistic voice filled with expressions of movement and shadow and bold lines. In 2017 Caratoes was in Worcester, MA, for @PowWowWorcester and says when she arrived at the Sever Square Apartments location for her work and saw all the kids playing together she immediately knew she needed to abandon her initial sketch and incorporate those kids. "I wanted them to be proud of who they are and where they're from." Caratoes says they loved seeing themselves in the work.  @caratoes/