“I’s On U” Mural

 Located in Atlanta, Georgia “I’s on U” is a mural touching on running themes in my art & life: being stared at for looking “different” than others or having a disability. The mural talks about the approachability of staring while at the same time how some people want to be discrete while gawking at others, something that I navigate with regularly being born with a facial disfigurement.

The approachability is conveyed through the bright colors and joyful colors. Some eyes blend in while others stand out, much like those who choose to stare at others in public spaces. The smiles of the characters show them laughing at you and the size of the mural conveys that while some may try to hide their staring or laughing, they are still sensed by the viewer.

Having this mural under a bridge too holds a lot of significance. Oftentimes when I am being stared at by strangers, it feels loud and inescapable. The size of this piece represents how daunting it can feel. The experience sometimes can’t be ignored for me.

This mural was painted in the Spring of 2018 with the help of Meredith Anne White and Graham Bohling, along with a slew of volunteers from the Reynoldstown neighborhood of Atlanta. The mural was a practice of improvisation and intuition as we worked on the bridge for a total of three and a half weeks being fueled by iced coffee and doughnuts. It was one of the most challenging murals I have ever created but I am so thankful to all of those who helped me get this mural together.