Oklahomies: Plaza Walls Mural Expo
This mural was a major highlight of my year! The Plaza Walls Mural Expo is one of the biggest mural events in Oklahoma. 286 muralists applied for this and only 32 were accepted. As a local Oklahoman being able to participate in this event was nothing short of magic. It was like art camp for grown-ups.
The Plaza Walls Mural Expo is a mural event that happens in tandem with Plaza Fest, one of the biggest festivals in OKC. With over 5,000 attendees, dozens of artist market vendors, live entertainment, and food to boot, it is the best showcase of Oklahoma talent in the state.
With over 300 feet of wall space, artists are assigned to different sections of the alleyway by the directors of the expo. Once I was given my dimensions, I was ready to get to work on my design.
Concept 1 - Be Yourself
Concept 2 - Yes You Can
Concept 3 - Tiger King
Having been to this event in the past, I knew how much people loved interacting with the murals on the day of the festival. When brainstorming for the Plaza Walls, I had some criteria in mind that I wanted my mural to achieve. First, I wanted to invoke the spirit of Oklahoma without using tropes like bison, scissortail flycatchers, and all the other often-used symbols of our state. I landed on a Tiger King reference because that's the Oklahoma I know; weird, a little redneck, and sometimes offensive.
Secondly, I wanted to invite viewers in and encourage participation. I want to engage my community through art and murals are a great way to do that. I hope people look at my mural and celebrate their friendships through it.
And lastly, I wanted it to feel true to myself. I wanted it to look like ME and feel like something that I would want to walk past a million times, because I probably will since the Plaza Walls are just around the corner from me. This was a very homegrown project that filled my cup.
Final Design
Final
Plaza Walls Mural Expo participant
Date: October 2022
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Size: 16’ x 6’