Street Art: Austin, Texas

A Photo Tour of Local Murals & Graffiti

Welcome to your Virtual Tour!

Today, we’ll be exploring the vibrant street art scene in Austin. Many artists have chosen this city as the place to display their creations; their art has become a significant part of local culture.

Above, the tallest mural in town is pictured. Named after a star, this rainbow prism creates an illusion in the right lighting.

“Tau Ceti” stands in the corner of a 10-story parking garage downtown and brings a much-needed splash of color to this intersection.

Another iconic mural that towers over downtown is titled “The Beauty of Liberty and Equality.”

Painted by Sandra Chevrier and Shepherd Fairey, this was created to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Women’s Suffrage. It is best viewed from the bridges that cross over the river into the south side of Austin.

(Some of the best tacos in town are at Veracruz; located below the mural.)

There is a city ordinance in Austin that requires property investors to dedicate 2% of their budget towards publicly accessible art, which is a fantastic investment into our local art scene!

With all the new multi-million dollar buildings going up downtown, there are many opportunities for artists.

RIP: Tom Petty, Homage Mural This beauty (left photo) was created in 2020 by 4 women and was directly across from the iconic Austin postcard mural. @mcfeeartstudio, @hodgepodgehomage, @mskoslowsartroom, and @andthelivingseasy on Instagram

The formerly abandoned building is now a coffee shop called Foxtrot. Unfortunately, they painted over the Tom Petty Wildflower Wall last year.

You may have seen “Greetings from Austin” or a similar postcard-style mural in another city, but the trend actually started in Austin!

This mural is in the south side of town on the Roadhouse Relics Neon Art Gallery; the owner, Todd Sanders is also an incredible artist.

Graffiti: Anonymous Street Art

By definition, graffiti is the illegal version of street art.

Graffiti artists have to be strategic about when and where they paint (or leave stickers/wheat pastes.)

It’s almost like a game of tag; artists leave their pseudonym signature, or “tag” around the city and see what they can get away with. Some of the most common ones I see are Buscar, Toasty, Armpit, Barck, and Audio.

There are some graffiti artists who also get commissioned to share their work, including local legends El Federico and ULOANG.

One of the most recognizable Austin characters is the “Hi, How Are You” alien frog.

It has become a representation of advocating for mental health and reminds us to genuinely look out for each other.

It’s become so important to locals that the original wall is being preserved even though the building was recently destroyed.

Originally painted on a music store in the 90s, this album cover by local musician Daniel Johnston became famous when Kurt Cobain wore it on a t-shirt to the MTV Music Awards.

There are “Hi How Are You” shirts, hats, stickers, and even imitation murals all over Austin.

Inspired by and in honor of Daniel Johnston, this non-profit organization educates people about the importance of mental health and inclusion:

There are many more fantastic art displays around here; we have festivals dedicated to street art, and last year during SXSW we had a Museum of Graffiti popup where artists from all over the world displayed their art.

If you’re ever in Austin and want to experiment with graffiti (legally) there is a place called Something Cool Studios where you can buy paint and create whatever you want on their patio.

Here are a few more of my favorite murals in town:

As you can see, Austin is home to a lot of creative people. I could include countless other pieces of art as well, but if you’re interested you should come see for yourself!

I have lived here less than two years; I’ve been so inspired by this city and the more I explore, the more I fall in love with it.

My journey to Austin took 22 years, it’s a long story…

Can you tell I used to be a tour guide? Here’s that story:

Thank you for reading!

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Also, follow ILLUMINATION and @Real for a variety of stories from myself and fellow creatives ❤