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Bird Enterprise Zone
Bird Enterprise Zone features two birds prominently displayed against a vibrant, patterned background. Both sides of the mural offer subtle differences in the birds' appearances and the background. The birds, painted in tan, brown, and white, contrast against the colorful backdrop, making them the main focal point. Their slightly varied hairstyles and designs distinguish the birds from one another. They are painted in a cartoon style, and they appear to be dancing or jumping. The background made of straight zigzag lines of varying thickness is visually striking but does not overwhelming the birds. Despite the 2D aesthetic the birds are clearly in the foreground creating depth in the mural. -
"Clubhouse City"
Composition: This mural features cartoonish animals in a colorful setting. There is a cat in a barn, a bird in a milk carton, another bird in a tree, a flowerpot, and another bird on top of the barn. Dominguez arranges the elements of Clubhouse City with a dynamic sense of balance and flow, drawing the eye smoothly across the mural. The composition is asymmetrical, giving it a sense of natural movement and energy.
Color: This mural uses many bright colors, including orange, yellow, light blue, and pink, contributing to its happy, cheerful tone. The color palette is vibrant, dominated by warm, earthy tones mixed with occasional pops of cool blues and greens. This choice creates a sense of warmth and community, reinforcing the mural’s inviting and lively atmosphere. The combination of colors brings an energetic and upbeat mood, reflecting the communal spirit of a “clubhouse” environment.
Line: This art uses straight and rounded lines as outlines for the objects in the building other than the tree, which helps the shapes pop and creates a 3D effect. Dominguez uses thick, bold, thinner, more delicate lines throughout the mural. Curved lines give the piece fluidity, while the occasional use of straight lines helps to define the structural aspects.
Texture: This wall is half concrete and half brick, splitting the mural into two and contributing to its effect. Also, different areas feel rougher or smoother to the eye. This layering adds a sense of physical depth to the mural, inviting viewers to move closer to examine the details.
Space: This piece uses a 3D effect; the bottom middle of the mural is the front, and as you look up, the artist uses lines to make the trees appear farther away. Dominguez’s use of space is particularly effective in creating depth. He utilizes a foreground, middle ground, and background, arranging elements to make the mural feel like a miniature city extending back into space. This depth effect is achieved by layering and varying the scale of elements, with smaller, lighter-colored forms receding into the background while bolder, darker elements remain closer. -
Luna Llena
Inspired by Mexica and Maya works, Balam created "Luna Llena." His mural encompasses many skillful design techniques and elements that contribute to this design. Luna Llena also contains elements of modern art and design. Created in August 2024, this piece containing pre-Columbian Indigenous art draws on design elements from the era. It is in the St Paul “ChromaZone” at 711 Vandalia Street. The person depicted in this painting is Ix Chel, an ancient moon goddess. Surrounding her are rabbits, which are often associated with this figure. This figure is also reaching out their hands for corn, which also has a historical relevance to this painting. The lines used in this painting are mostly curved. They allow the viewers’ attention to be directed around the mural without specific elements standing out more than others. In the symbol behind the figure, all of the lines are curved, with each side going into a “spiral.” With the lines not being straight and sharp, it allows for a softer image. Looking at the symbol behind the figure, the curved lines that form a semi-circle around the figure are used to bring the eyes of the viewer to the figure. This line direction is also used to signal the viewer where to look. Seen on the headpiece of the figure, there are more lines going horizontally than vertically, which leads the viewer to look left-to-right, drawing attention to the hands. Additional lines are used in this mural to make the goddess figure stand out. The entire figure is surrounded by a thin purple and yellow line that separates the figure from the background. It also gives it more of a 3-dimensional appearance. The symmetry in this mural is well done; the elements on each side of the mural give the mural balance. This is seen with the hand reaching out for the corn on the right and the headpiece reaching out on the left. This is also seen at the top, with the background symbol extending to both the left and right sides of the painting. To add to this symmetry, each side is composed of horizontal lines that balance out the vertical lines on the top and bottom of the mural. The rabbits are also representative of these elements as there is one on each side, providing symmetry. However, one of these rabbits is a farther distance from the figure than the other. This helps focus the viewer’s attention on the focal point in the mural because the rabbit is located directly beneath it. The hand in this mural is the primary focal point. This hand is pictured to be facing palms-up while corn flows into it. There is a green bracelet around the wrist, which is bolded to make it stand out from the rest of the mural. This gesture being made by the goddess appears to be receiving corn from something. To add to this, the entire hand and the rest of the figure being highlighted by a line adds more depth to the mural. An additional focal point is the head of the goddess, where a green earring is seen along with the extravagant headpiece. The color choices in this piece are vibrant yet balanced. The purple/pink background set the stage for the white and gray symbol and figure. These colors give the work an eye-popping burst of energy, which allows for the focal points to stand out. The colors used in the mural are used to make clear distinctions for the differences between the background and the subject of the mural. The gray is used to be a background element that the viewer does not need to pay close attention to. This is seen in the symbol in the background and the rabbits towards the bottom of the mural. The same effect is used for the focal points, where Xilam uses green to signify the focal points. These can be seen with the earrings on the goddess and the bracelet around the wrist of the hand. Another interesting color element toward the center of the mural is the bright white shell attached to the head of the person. This white is the brightest shade of white in the painting, which stands out from the rest of the work and matches the cloak the figure is wearing. The texture of this mural is made of cinder block. While much of the background hides this with color and symbols, the lined texture remains. The entirety of the wall for this mural consists of horizontal lines approximately 8 inches apart. The lines highlight and bring attention to where the location of this mural is and call for acknowledgment of the wall the mural was created on. The advantage of having these cinderblock texture lines also adds background characteristics that bring more depth to the mural. It also contributes to the spacing. Looking at the space in this mural, there is a clear background, middle ground, and foreground. The background elements include the purple directly on the wall in addition to the pink symbols. These background elements contribute to the viewer’s overall recognition of the mural, as they provide a contrast to the other elements of the mural. The middle ground consists of the gray symbol and rabbits. In addition to the meaning of these symbols and elements, they draw attention to the main focal points of the mural. The symbol in the middle extends to the top and then wraps around the figure in the center of the mural in a semi-circle, which sets the viewing points for the viewer. There is also a large amount of space above the goddess figure, where the top is approximately halfway down the painting. This leaves room for the symbol at the top to be seen, where it extends to the left and right and fills the upper space. In the foreground, the goddess figure is layered on top of the rest of the elements in the mural. As has been already mentioned, this is distinguished by the highlighted purple and yellow lines surrounding the entirety of the figure. This makes the figure stand out from the rest of the mural. The space in the foreground figure is centered. The figure’s head starts in the middle and extends downward, going off the bottom of the wall. This makes the painting appear “cut off,” where the viewer has the perception that the entirety of the painting hasn’t been shown. The depth in all three layers in his painting is well executed. The middle ground elements have elements that go over the background, and the foreground has elements that go over the middle ground. These bring a layering effect that makes the figure pop out from the rest of the mural. -
Coming Home
Scale: The size of the mural is very large, taking up the entire side of a building wall. To be able to capture the full essence of the mural as a whole, the viewer must stand far away. Standing up close provides the opportunity to see the intricate details that Al-Mansour has placed within her mural, whether it is within the background, the two large figures, or the objects.
Composition/Pictorial Space/Pattern: Al-Mansour divides the mural into two equal halves, each presenting an interior space with a single woman in the foreground. This bilateral structure creates a stable and balanced composition, with the two figures positioned toward the center facing each other while looking at one another through a gold-colored telescope. The woman on the left is standing in the foreground of a room with the wall and floor covered in purple squares and triangles. Additionally on the walls are two images of the Statue of Liberty’s head. There is also a window on the wall of the building itself, which Al-Mansour turned into a window of the left woman’s room with curtains. Positioned in the center of the room, there is a blue couch and chair with a yellow pillow, and a brown wooden coffee table with a book on top. The woman herself has shoulder-length blonde, wavy hair and is wearing a deep purple/magenta dress with black shoes while holding purple glasses. The woman on the right is standing mid-step in the foreground of a blue room with the wall and floor covered in a ten-star Islamic pattern. The wall also has an Arabic word written inside two of the stars, as well as a flock of birds flying to the left. The woman has dark, curly hair with a yellow hijab, and is wearing a yellow dress and brown sandals while holding a brown briefcase.
Al-Mansour placed both women in the foreground, toward the middle of the mural, making them a primary focus. Both women appear to be 3D, with shadows on the floor of the rooms, as well as highlights and shadowing on their clothes and bodies to give them greater dimensionality. The furnishings and patterns recede toward the back of each room, with a horizon line separating the wall from the floor to create spatial logic. The couch, chair, and coffee table in the purple room are all drawn smaller to give the perspective of them being behind the woman. The birds on the blue wall are drawn in different sizes, showing that some birds are closer to the viewer and some are farther away. All of this places the viewer at the forefront of this space, closer to the women who are at the front of the room.
Form: The women are drawn with attention to volume, using highlights and shadows to give them a more natural look. These natural, curvilinear forms of the women contrast with the rectilinear shapes of the background patterns and room edges.
Line: Contour lines define the edges of the figures, clothing, furniture, and architectural elements, which clearly distinguish from different parts of the mural. The geometric patterns rely on strong straight lines to establish structure in the walls and floors. Curved lines appear in the women’s hair, the folds of their dresses, the arc of the telescope, the cushions, and the curtains.
Color/Light/Tone: The left room uses shades of purple for the floor and walls, with a blue couch and chair and yellow pillow and curtains. The woman herself is also wearing a deeper magenta dress holding magenta glasses that appear to fade into her dress, but with brown shoes. The other room uses shades of blue, with some light purple showing up the closer it gets to the purple room. The birds are drawn in dark blues and purples to contrast the blue wall, or sky. They are also painted solidly, giving the illusion of shadows of birds flying in the distance, with not as much depth as the figures or furnishings. The yellow dress and hijab of the right woman contrasts the blue of the background, making her stand out more than even the left woman. The two dress colors are complementary, while the background colors are analogous colors. The way that the shadows on the women are depicted shows that the light source appears to be in between them. The telescope is painted in gold, also with shadowing and highlights to give it depth. The tonal shifts on the floor, clothes, and furnishings also enhance the illusion of form and depth.
Texture: Al-Mansour appears to use shading, with highlights and shadows, to create texture throughout the mural. Each woman’s hair and dress, as well as the furnishings, display texture. The left woman’s blonde hair looks straight with a few waves, and her dress is looser around her body and looks to be stationary. On the other side, the right woman’s dark hair shows lots of curls with her hair and hijab flowing in the wind, and her dress is tighter around the waist with some vertical ruffles that also looks to be flowing in the wind. Texture is also seen in the furnishings on the left side. The curtains framing the window are painted in such a way that suggested gathered fabric. The couch and chair cushions, as well as the pillows, were painted to look cushiony. -
Chichén Itzá and Mayan Calendar
This mural is tall and vertical and features two main visual elements: a stepped pyramid, as well as a circular shape filled with curved lines. The pyramid occupies the lower part of the mural, while the circular shape occupies the top half. The pyramid is composed of light tan, maroon, and cream colors, with sharp and dark outlines that emphasize its geometric structure. Each step of the pyramid is evenly spaced, and other features are symmetric, giving the pyramid a sense of rhythm. The pyramid rises towards the center of the mural, making your eyes move to everything else in the mural. Behind the stepped pyramid is the circular shape, which is a large circular disk filled with stylized designs that are spread symmetrically around a face, which is centered in the middle. These lines and designs are painted in bright yellows and oranges layered on top of a dark blue background, which creates a strong contrast. The thick lines within the circular disk make it pop out and catch the viewer's eye. Surrounding the circular disk are small stars that help create a sense of the night sky. On both sides of the mural, different plants overlay on top of the main elements. The plants have various shades of green and expand to the top of the mural with curved edges. At the bottom of the mural is a swirling spiral painted with several colors of blue, which overlays flowing streams of purple, maroon, and dark blue. The smooth transition between colors in the spiral suggests that careful blending was done, while the rest of the painting was done with solid colors. Overall, the composition combines geometric shapes, such as the pyramid, and the flowy shapes, such as the leaves, and the bright colors and bold lines to make the mural feel connected and balanced. -
Hamdi Restaurant mural
The Hamdi Restaurant mural spans three walls (West, Back, and East side of the building), creating a continuous, unified piece. Melodee Strong uses large-scale portraits, geometric designs, floral patterns, and animal imagery to cover the surface. The large size ensures the mural is readable from a far distance as well as up close.
West Wall:
Composition: The west wall is a horizontal sequence of six distinct large portraits arranged across the length of the building. Each figure is surrounded by various animals, geometric, and floral patterns surrounding it. While each portrait has its own sections, the overall composition reads as a continuous mural due to repeating shapes, transitional patterns, and the flow of colors to create a cohesive background. There are six animals included in the mural. The arrangement alternates between portraits and symbolic imagery, encouraging the audience to shift between the different faces and decorative elements. There are six animals included on this wall, positioned by the different figures.
Line/Form: The outlines in the mural are bold and consistent in width. Strong uses contour lines to define facial features, garment folds, and edges of patterns. Curved lines appear in the mural for portraits and organic shapes. This is a contrast from the angular lines used for some of the geometric patterns. These choices help make it easy to distinguish between each design element.
Color/Light/Tone: The wall uses a wide range of colors, from warm tones such as oranges and reds to cool tones such as blues, and purples. The colors are layered to create balanced imagery. Each portrait section has its own dominant hue but shares complementary undertones to create a unifying wall. The bright orange on the left catches the audience's eye first, then it transitions to cooler blue and purple tones on the right. The cooler tones help the portraits stand out, while the brighter colors highlight certain aspects of the mural. Complementary color pairings enhance vibrancy and improve readability on the mural.
Pattern/Texture: The mural has repeated patterns such as diamonds, spirals, and other various shapes. This creates a decorative framework that unifies the different parts of the mural and adds texture. Back Wall: Composition: The back wall design is organized around vertical flowers forms that rise upward on the wall. These plants vary in height but fill the entire space of the back wall. The butterflies appear among the plants, they are positioned at various heights to add variation. The background colors blend to connect the west and east walls, connecting the walls visually. Line/Form: The stems and leaves consist of long, curving lines that contrast with angular patterns seen on the west and east walls. It also creates a point of connection with the organic features on the east and west wall. Strong also uses dotted lines on some of the plant forms to imply curvature and texture as well as represent another style.
Color/Light/Tone: The back wall uses blue hues as the background with warm and cooler colors as the main imagery. This creates a color palette that allows the images to pop. The background being one color allows the imagery to be the main focus of the mural as the simplified background prevents distraction and keeps focus on the imagery. Pattern/Texture: The back wall focuses more on plant imagery than geometric patterns. In the plants, she included details on the plant stems and leaves on both parts in different ways that create a texture to the images, one more realistic than the other. The wall carried the plant element that can be seen on both walls but does not include geometric patterns allowing for smoother transitions.
East Wall:
Composition: The east wall contains features of floral and geometric elements arranged together without portraits like the west wall. This wall uses repeated decorative motifs (geometric patterns and floral elements) and bright colors.
Line/Form: The floral elements are defined by bold curved lines, with geometric motifs around them. The geometric patterns include diamonds, triangles, and more which brings a straight edge element into the mural. The contrast between curved and straight line is consistent of that of the west wall.
Color/Light/Tone: The east wall includes vibrant colors. The background shifts to brighter colors such as light green, orange, and yellow. Meanwhile the imagery is darker tones. In this case, the same effect is occurring, having the lighter colors in the back allows the darker flower to pop. The background includes a gradient effect the brings together the different imagery.
Pattern/Texture: It contains multiple repeated imagery in different spaces. Including both geometric and curving lines.