The Writing on the Wall: Graffiti Artists Add Color to D.C. Streets

By Sarah Gardiner at thehoya.com

When asked where to find the best graffiti in D.C., Roger Gastman, author of Free Agents, a book about D.C. graffiti history, gave simple advice: Ride the Red Line. Catch the next GUTS bus to Dupont Circle, hop on the Metro in the direction of Glenmont, and grab a window seat. After Union Station, the Metro primarily runs on elevated tracks. The graffiti is clearly visible from the tracks in colorful patches on rooftops and on the sides of buildings. Past New York Avenue, the graffiti presence really asserts itself.

Read entire article at The Hoya

Featured Muralist: PEPE PIEDRA

Catching the American Dream

a new mural by Pepe Piedra
13' x 32'

4500 Georgia Ave. and Buchanan St.,
Washington, DC

www.pepepiedra.com

Artist, musician, art instructor, Pepe Piedra at work on "Catching the American Dream," mural
on Georgia Ave. in Washington, DC.

For more information and to commission a work,
Contact the artist (202) 271 - 6746
Email

"Yes We Can," Mural by Pepe Piedra

These beautiful murals by Pepe Piedra are a project to change the environment of the Sun Rise Academy. The murals provide the students with a warm and educational environment which helps them to know and better understand their lives through history.

The name of the central panel is "Yes we can" showing the process of a young kid breaking the chains of the ignorance through education, jumping the barriers in the river of life and getting to the highest levels of status as Barack Obama did it.

Yes We Can, (detail) central mural panel, 10' high x 15' long, by Jose Piedra

The second panel is about Family, showing the simple life of a black family living in freedom through education. Reading as the key to improvement, shows the wise black man with a book and his wife taking care of the child. The size of the murals are 10' high x 15' long.

"This is my contribution to the community as a Immigrant Artist, helping young people understand the meaning of Immigration in these times of change and hope in this Country of Immigrant people," says Jose Piedra.

Pepe Piedra, (artist, muralist, musician) is creating a third panel which is going to be a Civil Rights wall. Stay tuned for pictures when they become available. Pepe finds inspiration as a painter and musician. He is an art teacher most recently at "Henson Valley Montessori School" in Temple Hills, Maryland.

Contact Pepe Piedra to commission a mural or a painting,
and arts education services at 202.271.6746
You can see more of the artists work at
http://www.pepepiedra.com

About the artist:

Pepe was born in Casma - Peru, a town at north from the capital, Lima. Piedra has been drawing since his childhood and playing the drums since he was a teenager.

Graduated from the school of Fine Arts at 1987, he is a profesional artist and paints with surrealistic style with oils, acrylics and mixed media techniques.

Pepe Piedra became a pretty famous name in Peru once he started playing with Tierra Sur, a really popular reggae band. But before that, he has been playing with several groups and one of the most famous folklore bands in Peru, Yawar. Later he moves to Washington DC - USA and founds in 1998 the RAYMI Band fussioning latin-folk rhythms with Rock and Reggae.

In 1984, he started teaching art at Summer Camps in Trujillo (Peruvian North Cost), then he moved to Lima (Peruvian Capital) where he continued to teach. At present he is teaching artists to be in his Blue Moon Studio School in Washington DC Area and creating murals in the Washington, DC area. In October 2008, Piedra worked with Washington, DC artist & muralist Anne Marchand on the Prism Mural in Crystal City, VA, which was commissioned by the Crystal City Business Improvement District as the first in their series of Art Walls.

Conquering a Community Mural

Art Calendar Magazine Article on Meg Saligman's Community Murals By Kim Hall

Philadelphia artist Meg Saligman shares how creating some of the nation’s largest and most famous murals with so many people can have an impact far greater than a single artist could accomplish.

For more information about current and upcoming projects from Meg Saligman visit www.megsaligman.com

Art Calendar Magazine

Radiance Art Wall in Crystal City, VA

You are invited to view Crystal City BID's photo album: Radiance


The mosaics are by Valerie Theberge

Prism Mural [Art Wall] in Crystal City, VA

You are invited to view Crystal City BID's photo album: Prism
and Anne Marchand's work in progress photo album.

Mural by Anne Marchand, 9'4" x 160'

The Crystal City Business Improvement District commissioned Washington-based artist Anne Marchand to design a mural for the Route 1 Overpass along 18th Street. The piece, titled Prism, welcomes pedestrians and cars entering and exiting the Crystal City Neighborhood along 18th Street. The design is painted on thirty five concrete panels sized 9 feet 4 in. x 4 feet, spanning the length of the 160 foot wall. The design phase of the project began in July 2008 and the fabrication took place in September 2008. The mural is created in vibrant hues that reflect a theme of light and color.

Art Walls in Crystal City, VA

Anne Marchand, Michael Hammond, Jose Piedra at Prism Mural, 18th Street Underpass, Crystal City, VA.
Photo Credit: Greg Staley

You wondered where I was this fall? What have I been doing? Well, I wasn't exactly the troll under the bridge, but I did get my hair blown around for over a month at the 18th Street underpass. Two of my recent public art projects are right across the river from Washington, DC in Crystal City, VA. Check them out. I liked being out in the elements, even on the gritty texture of the street, painting the Prism mural. There is something wonderful in being totally immersed in a creative project with good people around you. The best part was witnessing daily, with a river of pedestrians, the change that was taking place on this piece of concrete in Virginia. You know.... it does matter, those little tiny glimpses that let light and color in the mind. It excites the imagination, like peripheral vision, you might not see it head on, but you know it's there and you feel a delightful presence. Barren to beauty, perhaps not in excess, but steps in that direction. I love it when a team of artists form a good match. Jose Piedra, Michael Hammond, the wind and I painted the geometry, color and light that brought smiles to faces. Dear mural, keep doing that and more.

Enjoy the Prism Mural Slideshow. Other artists who assisted with the project include Eve Hennessa and Siobhan Gavagan.

Here's a couple of mentions in the Arlington, VA news.
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What’s New in the Arts in Arlington
Nov., 2008
PUBLIC ART
Art Walls in Crystal City; 
Radiance, Prism and Ellipsis

http://www.crystalcity.org
1800 S. Bell Street (nearest intersection)
Metro gateway area
Arlington, VA 22202


The Crystal City Business Improvement District (BID) unveils its latest creative endeavor, Art Walls, which includes three projects, Radiance, Prism and Ellipsis. Radiance and Prism flank the 160’ walls on the north and south sides of 18th Street South, bringing light and color to the thousands of Metro commuters who make their way to and from the Crystal City Metro station each day.
Local mosaic artist Valerie Theberge created Radiance, 25 dazzling and dynamic individual mosaics on one side, and Anne Marchand designed Prism, 35 large rectangles filled with geometric shapes for the opposing wall. 
Elsewhere in Crystal City, Ellipsis, courtesy of artist Anne Marchand and the Zenith Gallery, takes twelve of the artist’s most colorful abstracts, enlarges them into 10’ square panels and mounts them on the back wall of the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Spotlight Crystal
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Art Walls Creates Gallery in Crystal City - Crystal City sparkles with the unveiling of the Art Walls collection which currently includes three projects: Radiance, Prism, and Ellipsis. The Crystal City BID chose 18th and S. Bell Streets (Metro gateway area) for the first set of Art Walls, Radiance and Prism, which flank the north and south sides of 18th Street South, respectively. Developed by local mosaic artist Valerie Theberge, Radiance splashes 25 dynamic and dazzling pieces along the 160’ wall. Across the street, Prism – the inspiration of Anne Marchand -- consists of 35 4’ x 9’ rectangles filled with geometric shapes and unique elements which enliven the wall. Embraced by Crystal City commercial property owners, the first corporate Art Wall, Ellipsis, is a partnership involving Gould Property Company, the Airport Hyatt and Concord Residences. Ellipsis, also an Anne Marchand creation, takes 12 of the artist’s most colorful abstracts, enlarges them onto 10’ square panels, and mounts them onto the back wall of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Be sure to check out the colorful, lively and whimsical pieces of art!

Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport
2799 Jefferson Davis Highway,
Arlington, Virginia, USA 22202

Courtesy Zenith Gallery and the artist, www.annemarchand.com.
Happy Creating! Anne