This past year, I created a 6 foot tall, 32 foot long mural for Black and Read (located on 66th and Wadsworth in Arvada, Colorado). I have been a patron for this shop for a good duration of my life, so when the store moved locations into a much larger building (with higher ceilings) in 2024, I was eager to help make the new space feel more like home.
The mural is on eight 4' x 6' birch plywood panels that I constructed and painted in my studio over the course of five months. They are hung in a unique tilted and staggered formation to minimize glare from the overhead lights, prevent dust buildup, and to emphasize the visual interest that sectioning out the mural creates. Special thanks to Troy and Elliott for envisioning and executing this installation.
The initial idea was to create a work that encompassed what I envisioned the soul of Black and Read to be, which wound up focusing heavily on classic fantasy motifs from the 70's onward. The work is dedicated to the space above the section of the store that holds board games, tabletop rpgs, and other game focused materials. I am very pleased to say that further additions to the current mural are in the works, as well as plans for other sections of the store. Stay tuned for updates on those through my newsletter or Instagram.
A big ol' thanks to my dear friends April, Alexa, and my dad for being willing models to build references for me.
Another big ol' thank you to Derek, Kari, and Mikey for helping getting the ball rolling, and a third big ol' thank you to everyone at Black and Read for their continued enthusiasm for my work. It means the world to me that you guys have my back and I am so glad to be part of your world. I literally could not have done this without you guys.
The mural is on eight 4' x 6' birch plywood panels that I constructed and painted in my studio over the course of five months. They are hung in a unique tilted and staggered formation to minimize glare from the overhead lights, prevent dust buildup, and to emphasize the visual interest that sectioning out the mural creates. Special thanks to Troy and Elliott for envisioning and executing this installation.
The initial idea was to create a work that encompassed what I envisioned the soul of Black and Read to be, which wound up focusing heavily on classic fantasy motifs from the 70's onward. The work is dedicated to the space above the section of the store that holds board games, tabletop rpgs, and other game focused materials. I am very pleased to say that further additions to the current mural are in the works, as well as plans for other sections of the store. Stay tuned for updates on those through my newsletter or Instagram.
A big ol' thanks to my dear friends April, Alexa, and my dad for being willing models to build references for me.
Another big ol' thank you to Derek, Kari, and Mikey for helping getting the ball rolling, and a third big ol' thank you to everyone at Black and Read for their continued enthusiasm for my work. It means the world to me that you guys have my back and I am so glad to be part of your world. I literally could not have done this without you guys.
