Jessi Corsentino : Shenandoah Valley Street Art: Charlottesville

Shenandoah Valley Street Art: Charlottesville | Yeti Crafts

I finally got around to driving down to Charlottesville to take pictures of murals! I can't believe I did this so consistently last year. Or maybe the fact that I did so many of these trips in such a short window of time is the reason I resist doing it now. Who knows.

The Charlottesville Mural Project:

Duncan Robertson with Lyrics from Hurray for the Riff Raff at Starr Hill Brewery

This mural, produced by CMP and The New City Arts Initiative and created by Duncan Robertson was my favorite of the whole day. I love the relaxed whimsy and muted color palette. You can read more about this piece and see more photos here.

Trying to get the whole thing into one shot!

McIntre Plaza by Christy Baker

Charlottesville Bikes by Michael Powers, Charles Peale, Jeff Hill, and Mark Quigg across from 220 Market Street

Rivanna River Watershed by Kaki Dimmock 310 2nd Street SE

Kingdom Animalia by Matt Pamer 513 W. Main Street

I really liked this mural because it was painted over an old mural from the 1970's that's still partially visible. Matt Pamer used lines from the old mural in his design and left parts of it exposed.

Remnant of the old mural

Rick Montoya 408 Monticello Road

Hands Together by Avery Lawrence IX Art Park

Those hands reached right around to the other side of the building!

Any trip to the IX Art Park is a treat, even when it's so hot you want to die. While I was there, I grabbed a few shots of things I missed the last time I was there.

"I think I broke my rhinoceros!"

The Love Butt has been banished to the outer limits of the parking lot.

I tried to find the mural at St. Anne's Belfield, but that place is fancy and intimidating in a way that's unique to expensive parochial schools. All those narrow winding one-way streets with dead ends felt like a heavy religious metaphor and I had to get out of there.

Tom Tom Festival's City as Canvas 2016:

1327 E High Street by Mickael Broth

My Richmond fav, Mickael Broth, created this dynamic piece on the side of Charlottesville Sanitary Supply. I'm guessing he intended it to include a lot less truck, but what can you do?

Ed Trask 1105 Carlton Ave

Hometown punk rock hero (my hometown, anyway) and art champion Ed Trask contributed this piece. That guy's a dang legend.

Christy Baker 1010 Wertland Street

Graffiti Wall at McGuffey Art Center 201 2nd Street NW

Because this wall serves as an always-evolving display, I'm not sure how much of this still looks like it did at Tom Tom, but it's still relevant here.

Detail of Graffiti Wall

The corner of 6th St SE and Garrett St by Mickael Broth

Detail from 6th St SE and Garrett St

Broth's witches make my heart smile.

The transitory nature of public art

The base of Belmont Bridge

During Tom Tom, there was a graffiti battle here, but just like the McGuffey wall, I'm not sure how much of that work is still visible. I was really moved by this expansive, detailed memorial piece. You can tell there was a lot of love and hurt put into it.