"Groove and Flow"
49th & Catharine Street at Cedar Park, West Philadelphia
October 2024
My latest mural, Groove and Flow, was commissioned by University City District for Cedar Park Neighbors under the guidance of The Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS). My design was painted directly onto the asphalt at the intersection of 49th Street & Catharine Street in West Philly, occupying the ground area of the pedestrian plaza on the east side triangle of Cedar Park. Measuring 24' x 30', I painted this design with special durable traffic paint made to withstand heavy foot traffic and last for years.
The title, Groove and Flow, was inspired by a local man from the neighborhood who walked by and described the colors as "groovy." I really loved the nostalgic charm of that word and thought it perfectly captured the vibrant, energetic vibe of the neighborhood.
This mural marks my largest project to date. Along with it came several firsts that made the process incredibly challenging yet wildly rewarding. It was my first time working with a really strict adherence to the original presented mock-up, and required that I step away from my usual freehand approach. I was also asked to incorporate radial symmetry for the first time -- a design choice made at the client’s request to eliminate any suggested walking direction.
The mural took 6 full days of hard work to complete and ended up as the most physically demanding projects I've ever tackled. Regardless of the extreme physical effort and design challenges that came with this project, it remains my most rewarding accomplishment to date, and something I am very very proud of.
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