Outdoor art by OMSI: Monday Murals

This outdoor art by OMSI is on Southeast Water Avenue in Portland, Oregon. The mural is right across the street from the main entrance of OMSI, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

Outdoor art by OMSI

I believe the mural artist is Mario De Leon. The mural appears to include elements of Egyptian art, Aztec symbolism, and Black history.

mural

mural

The bird sculpture, Migrations, was created in a collaborative process by several people. These include: artist Olivia Guethling, Engineer Trevor Blackann, GuildWorks Founder & Principal Mar Ricketts, and many others. To read more about the creation of this piece, see Migrations: A Long Way From Home.

mural and sculpture

There are lots of amazing things to see inside the museum, but this outdoor art by OMSI was an unexpected treasure.

Monday Mural

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Salmon mural: Monday Murals

This Salmon mural is at the Seattle Aquarium in Washington State. This piece is called Ocean Travelers.

Salmon mural

The salmon mural was created by artists Ray Troll and Owen Oliver. Ray was friends with Coast Salish artist, Marvin E. Oliver. They had discussed creating a collaborative piece for many years. Though Marvin passed away in 2019, his son, Owen, helped fulfill that dream.

Monday Murals

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Sunflowers at Tunnel of Joy: WW & FOTD

sunflowers at tunnel of joy

Sunflowers at Tunnel of Joy in Bend, Oregon

Wordless Wednesday (WW)

Flower of the Day (FOTD)

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Smokey Bear mural: Monday Mural

This Smokey Bear mural is located in Burney, California. I liked the muted colors in the background of this mural. I’m not sure when it was painted, but it looks old.

Smokey Bear mural

In 1944, the U.S. Forest Service introduced Smokey Bear as part of a campaign to prevent fires. The slogan, “Only you can prevent forest fires,” was first used in 1947. In 2001, it was changed to, “Only you prevent wildfires.” This change reminds people to prevent fires in other habitats, like grasslands. This Smokey Bear mural shows the older slogan.

Fun fact: Did you know Bambi, from the Walt Disney movie, appeared in fire-prevention ad campaigns prior to Smokey’s creation? His likeness was “loaned” to the government for only a year.

Monday Mural

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Before Edmonds mural: MM

This Before Edmonds mural is located in downtown Edmonds, Washington. It shows a view of Puget Sound with the Olympic Mountains in the background. The canoes of Native Americans can be seen near the shore.

Before Edmonds mural

I couldn’t get the whole mural in one shot, so I took another one. Here you can see a raven at the top of the mural and a closer view of the heron.

Detail of mural

One of the things I liked best in this mural was how the artist painted the clouds. If you’ve looked at very many posts on my blog, you’ll know I love dramatic skyscapes like this one.

The Before Edmonds mural was created by Andy Eccleshall, in collaboration with Ty Juvinel (Tulalip tribe). It was installed in August of 2020. This mural, and the one facing it in an alleyway, took 18 months to paint. The Art Walk Edmonds website has more details on this and other murals in the vicinity.

Monday Mural

Aosagi mural: Monday Mural

This Aosagi mural is located in downtown Edmonds, Washington. It was created by Shoga Ota and installed in September 2021. The mural’s style is similar to Japanese woodblocks. In the mural, a large blue heron (Aosagi) flies over a series of waves.

Aosagi mural

Japanese immigrants were an important part of the history of the Pacific Northwest. In the 19th century, they were instrumental in the railroad, mining, timber, and fishing industries. During World War II, there was a rise in anti-Japanese sentiments and they were forcibly relocated to internment camps. Reparations for that action did not occur until 1988, under the Civil Liberties Act.

In April of 1988, Edmonds developed a sister city relationship with Hekinan, Japan. This mural was created partly to acknowledge Edmond’s relationship with Hekinan. The goal of this relationship is to foster “exchanges that reflect our intercultural focus between business, education and nonprofit organizations in the local area.”

This mural was funded by a grant from the City of Edmonds Arts Commission and a generous donation from the McMurray family.

Monday Mural

Neptune’s Taphouse & Eatery mural: Monday Murals

This colorful Neptune’s Taphouse & Eatery mural is unique. It’s painted on slats of wood on a room divider. This restaurant, located in Livingston, Montana, has an ocean theme.

Neptune's Taphouse & Eatery

Livingston is a long way from the ocean, but Neptune’s Taphouse serves several dishes that include fish and shellfish. It has an extensive sushi menu. The menu also includes dishes with mussels, clams, scallops, crab, shrimp, tuna, salmon, and cod.

Monday Murals

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Dancing skeletons: Pull up a seat

Here’s a scene you don’t see everyday… dancing skeletons with a beautiful mural displayed behind them. Visitors can take a seat in a couple of black Adirondack chairs to watch the dancers perform.

dancing skeletons

Though I’m sharing this picture on Halloween, the skeletons were seen in an Edmonds, Washington yard in September. Some people enjoy displaying their favorite decorations throughout the year.

Happy Halloween!

Pull Up a Seat

Octopus Recycler mural: Monday Mural

Though this mural is untitled, I thought it looked like a giant octopus recycler. The octopus appeared to be busy sorting through treasures it had found. It’s not far from the shoreline of Puget Sound in Edmonds, Washington. This mural was painted by Andy Eccleshall and it’s on the back of the Salish Crossing building.

Octopus recycler

It was hard to capture the entire painting with my camera. The mural also included this colorful crab. The business right next to the crab is appropriately named “Stranded by the Sea.”

crab mural

Monday Mural

Born Again Babaylan: Monday Mural

The Born Again Babaylan mural is one of many murals located in downtown Bend, Oregon. This mural was painted by Bekah Badilla in 2021. I previously featured one of her other works, Myth of Progress, also located in Bend. The Born Again Babaylan mural was created in collaboration with the High Desert Equality and Justice Mural Festival.

born again babaylan

Bekah describes this work in the following partial description. See her website for the full description.

Melting out of the glacial ice is the spirit of a Babaylan and her descendants. Babaylan refers to the naming for a matriarchal leader, spirit guide and warrior prevalent in pre-colonial Philippines. The Babaylan is embodied in the ice, changing, shifting and eternally offering knowledge and guidance not through elitism and brute force but through spirituality, mysticism and ancestral strength.

Bekah Badilla

Monday Mural

Family Mural of Flowers & Birds: Monday Mural

This cheerful mural, Family Mural of Flowers & Birds, was created by artist Denae’ Manion of Manion Studios. Manion is a talented mural artist and honorary member of the Wall Dogs, an international mural painters group. Besides murals, her work also includes logos and designs, face painting, hand painted gifts, custom shoes, and she hosts PaintNite events. She also creates “entertainment paintings” live at various events.

Family Mural

Her Family Mural of Flowers & Birds mural is one of 33 murals in The Dalles, Oregon. We visited The Dalles in August of 2022 during their Northwest Mural Fest. It’s a great place to see the work of many mural artists.

Monday Mural

Mt View Orchards mural: Monday Mural

This Mt View Orchards mural is located in Parkdale, Oregon. The plants growing around the mural make it blend into the background.

This is one of our favorite businesses to visit to buy fresh local fruit in the fall. You can pick your own fruit and flowers or buy what they’ve harvested. They also produce beer, wine, and cider. This beautiful 50+ acre site was featured on a Top Chef episode in 2021.

Mt View Orchards mural

This business is part of the Hood River Fruit Loop. There are 28 farms open to visitors along the 35-mile route .

Here’s some of the fruit we bought last year. Yum!

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The Future Starts Now mural: Monday Murals

This dramatic mural, The Future Starts Now, is located on The Palace building in Burns, Oregon.

The Future Starts Now

The artist, Matthew Miles Gutierrez, goes by the nickname of Matteo Miles. Miles has done graphic design, canvas paintings, tattoos, sculptures, and sewing projects. His personal interest in pop culture and vintage ads shows in this mural.

Miles was invited to paint murals in Burns by Forrest and Jen Keady. The Keadys were impressed by the work he’d done in Greenville, South Carolina, where he lives. They wanted murals in Burns “that would spread a positive message, bring life and energy to the spaces they occupy, and give people yet another reason to stop in our small town.”

The Keadys requested that this mural be more edgy. The woman portrayed is part 1950s pinup/ part cowgirl. Her tattoo-covered arms bring her forward to more modern times.

I visited Burns on a chilly day in April 2023 and The Future Starts Now radiated a warm feeling. It delivered exactly what the Keadys hoped it would.

Monday Murals

Egg River Cafe mural: Monday Mural

This colorful mural is at the Egg River Cafe in Hood River, Oregon. The rooster crows proudly from a fence post in front of a happy little farm. Orchards cover rolling foothills and Mount Hood peeks out in the distance. Chicken-themed decorations can be found throughout the restaurant.

Egg River Cafe mural

This is a great place to stop for breakfast or lunch while visiting Hood River.

Monday Mural

Oregon/California Trail mural: Monday Mural

This large mural is inside the National Oregon/California Trail Center in Montpelier, Idaho. The mural is by artist Gary Stone. While researching the painting, Stone traveled parts of the pioneer trail crossing Idaho and nearby states.

Oregon/California Trail mural

Gary Stone read emigrant journals and diaries and depicted what travelers experienced along the trail. You can tell he put his heart into getting the scenes shown right.

Here’s a closer view of the details on the mural.

pioneer mural

Monday Mural

Sinclair Oil: Monday Mural

I saw this Sinclair Oil advertisement on the side of a building in Hudson, Wyoming. Though it has faded over the years, it’s still a great ad. I made it look even older by using a vignette effect and showing it in a frame that looks like a piece of film.

Sinclair oil ad

Monday Mural

Valley Gorge HUB mural: MM

The Valley Gorge HUB mural, in The Dalles, Oregon, is one of my most favorite murals. This mural was painted in 2018 by Blaine Fontana, with help from Toma Villa, Jeremy Nichols, and Jeff Sheridan. This long mural is on E 1st St.

Valley Gorge HUB mural

I took pictures of each section so you can see it more closely. This part features a Trout, Salmon, and Sturgeon.

Valley Gorge HUB mural

This section shows a Black Bear, Bighorn sheep, and Cougar. A Yellow Warbler photo bombed this one.

big mammals mural

This part shows a Yellow Warbler, Osprey, Blue Jay, and Raven.

Birds mural

The last section shows a Monarch Butterfly and a Chickadee. There’s a mural by another artist around the corner on this end of the building.

The HUB mural

I’ve visited The Dalles in the past and didn’t realize the Valley Gorge HUB mural wrapped around the building. Here’s the mural on other parts of the building. You can see a Mule Deer, Red-winged Blackbirds, and an Egret.

Magnificent mural in The Dalles, Oregon October 2019

I took pictures in The Dalles in 2022 of the Northwest Mural Fest. They now have 33 murals in the downtown area.

Here’s an updated map of their locations. I like how they added a red line to show which side of the building has murals. This map was updated in January of 2023.

The Dalles mural map

Monday Mural

Cedar Bear: Monday Mural

I saw this Cedar Bear Herbal Supplements mural while visiting Vernal, Utah. I especially liked the blue and green colors in this mural. The artist did a great job of painting liquid, not an easy thing to do. The light outlines of cresting waves filled out the space and gave a good sense of movement.

Cedar Bear mural

Monday Mural

Succulent mural in Bend: Monday Mural

This succulent mural is at River’s Place, a food truck pod on the east side of Bend. We are lucky to have at least seven of these “pods” where trucks can hook up to water and power to serve customers. Each pod has indoor seating with numerous beers on tap. They also host musicians, trivia nights, and other events.

This mural was created by Nicole Fontana, of Fontana Painting. Succulents are one of my favorite types of plants because they have so much variety. She captured that variety well.

I have featured Nicole’s work in a previous post featuring whimsical doors in Tumalo. I loved the detail in those paintings and in this succulent mural.

succulent mural

Monday Mural

Sisters Coffee Mural: Monday Mural

This Sisters Coffee Mural is in the Old Mill District of Bend. I believe the featured bird is an Osprey. Ospreys are regularly seen near the Deschutes River. This bird is also known as a ‘Fish Hawk’ since fish are its preferred prey.

This mural was painted last summer by Vivi Design Co. I previously featured murals they created at Dr Jolly’s.

Sisters Coffee Mural

Monday Mural

Lone Pine Coffee mural: Monday Mural

This painting is in the eastside Lone Pine Coffee Roasters business in Bend. The mural was painted by artist Megan McGuinness and it wraps around three walls. I like how she outlined almost everything with white borders.

This scene shows a fox in the foreground and a snowy owl in the upper corner. The mountain on the right is Smith Rock, a local rock climber’s favorite. Crooked River wraps around the edge of the mountain.

Lone Pine Coffee mural

Monday Mural

Greetings from Bend mural: Monday Mural

Here’s a picture of the new “Greetings from Bend, Oregon” mural. This mural is near the flag bridge in the Old Mill district in Bend. It’s on the Mill A Loop trail, where I walk regularly.

This colorful mural is by artist Karen Eland. I’m a big fan of her artwork and have previously featured her work in Bend. She collaborated with five other artists on this work in the Foxtail Bakery in the Box Factory district.

Foxtail closed in January 2022. The restaurant currently at that location, Papi Chulo’s Taqueria, has new murals adorning their walls. More murals for me to seek out and share!

Greetings from Bend mural

Karen features local flora and fauna in this Greetings from Bend, Oregon mural. This mural includes columbine, lupine, and paintbrush flowers. A Western Tanager perches on “From” and a Rufous Hummingbird hovers over “Oregon.” Tiger swallowtail butterflies flit about the edges and a honeybee perches on a flower in a corner. Cascade volcanoes float in the background and the iconic smokestacks of the Old Mill stand tall in the foreground.

You can see another example of Karen’s work in this mural in Sisters, Oregon. She collaborated on that piece with fellow artist Katie Daisy .

Monday Mural

Northwest Mural Fest : LAPC & MM

In late August, while out exploring places along the Columbia River, we stumbled upon the Northwest Mural Fest in The Dalles, Oregon. Painters from all over the country met in The Dalles to create 15 murals in three days. Yes, it was a huge undertaking, literally and figuratively.

The Walldogs


The 200+ sign painters and mural artists who took part in the event belong to a group called The Walldogs. Imagine a “pack” of artists gathering in a town for a few days to create unforgettable works of art. The murals depict places, people, and products that have local significance. The murals attract tourists and give residents a sense of hometown pride.

Honoring the History


The artists working on this mural, by Anat Ronen, must not have a fear of heights. This mural portrays photographer Benjamin Gifford. He moved from the Midwest to Portland in 1888, and to The Dalles in 1896. His work highlights scenic views of the Columbia River and the scenic highway running beside it. Gifford also featured portraits of local Native Americans.

Northwest Mural Fest

The Benjamin Gifford mural is being painted on the back of the Clock Tower. This photo shows the building, built in 1883, from the front.

Clock Tower
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Sisters Oregon mural: Monday Mural

This Sisters Oregon mural in Central Oregon is full of life. North Sister, Middle Sister, and South Sister volcanic peaks hover in the background. Local wildflowers and wildlife fill the bottom of the frame.

I especially liked the great gray owl in the middle of the mural. If you stand in front of this mural in just the right spot, it looks like you have wings. Great for pictures!

Sisters Oregon mural

The Sisters Oregon mural was created in 2020 by local artists, Katie Daisy and Karen Eland. You’ll find it on the wall of Marigold and True, a boutique gift shop. Katie also contributed to murals painted in Foxtail Bakery, which I featured in a previous post.

As noted in this article in The Nugget Newspaper, Katie and Karen had known the store’s owner, Kelley Rae, for ten years. She commissioned them to paint this piece and it turned out beautifully.

I was in town taking pictures of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show when I stumbled upon the mural. The arts are alive and well in this small town.

Monday Mural

Dr Jolly’s colorful façade: Monday Mural

When cannabis was legalized for recreational use in Oregon in 2015, dispensaries popped up all around Bend. Dr Jolly’s is one of these appropriately named establishments.

The first picture shows a vibrant mural at the south end of the building. This looks like a color-filled view of Cascade peaks located near Bend. Red flowers and blue marijuana plants grow in the foreground.

Dr Jolly's mural

The second photo shows a view of the front of the building. A hand points the way to the entrance. Barbers poles, with green stripes instead of red, flank the doors.

Storefront in Bend

The artwork at this business was created by Janessa Bork and Josh Ramp, of VIVI Design Co., in 2020. Their website refers to Janessa and Josh as the “dynamic duo [who] founded VIVI in 2018 with a focus on unique tactile presence.” They create murals – inside and out, signs, menus, and other graphics. The pair’s impressive talent is on display at Dr Jolly’s and many other local businesses.

Monday Mural

The Bend Wall: Monday Mural

You’ll find The The Bend Wall mural on the side of Newport Market, a neighborhood grocery store in Bend, Oregon. The bright painting covers a 100-foot long wall on the side of the building.

This impressive piece of artwork was created by Bend artist, Kim Smallenberg.

The mountain in the center of the mural is Pilot Butte, a dormant volcano. On the right side near the peak, you can see a small fire. On the Fourth of July, commercial fireworks are launched from Pilot Butte, and sometimes, it catches on fire. Our Fire Department is always there and ready.

The Bend Wall

A large metal sculpture of a bear sits in front of one end. The mural behind the bear shows dogs around a campfire. Bend is a dog-centered town. Many residents own one, or two, or…

Bear sculpture & dogs mural
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Whimsical doors in Tumalo, Oregon: Thursday Doors

I noticed these whimsical doors in Tumalo, Oregon while visiting a pod of food trucks. The Bite currently hosts five food trucks. You can get an assortment of beers on tap inside the main building. There is comfortable seating inside and out.

These paintings were done by local artist, Nicole Fontana. There are more pictures of her work at The Bite here. She even included her whimsical take on things in the signs for handicapped parking spots. 🙂

whimsical doors
Fishing fly painting

Thursday Doors

Pot of gold in my garage?: Wordless Wednesday

Pot of gold
Is there a pot of gold in my garage?

Wordless Wednesday

Sisters quilt mural: Monday Mural

Sisters quilt mural

This Sisters quilt mural is located in Barclay Park in Sisters, Oregon. This work by local artist, Jerry Werner, celebrates all that makes this town a vibrant community. In the past, Jerry worked as an illustrator for Walt Disney. His artwork includes murals, fine art, paintings, illustration and graphics, and sculptures.

The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show bills itself as the world’s largest outdoor quilt show. More than 1,300 quilts are hung outside along the town’s main streets and visitors use maps to find them all. The quilts are amazing and show so much creativity and skill!

Monday Mural

Mix Tape A & B Mural: Monday Murals

This Mix Tape A & B mural, by artist Erik Hoogen, is located at Silver Moon Brewing in Bend, Oregon. Erik worked on this labor of love seasonally for two years. This large work of art is located in a narrow alley so instead of trying to show it in one photo, I took several.

I am so impressed by this mural! It’s difficult to paint with a monotone palette and Erik made it look easy.

Mix tape A & B

He captured the essence of these musicians from different times and genres.

Musician mural

Many of the musicians are portrayed in iconic poses.

Mix Tape A & B
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Born Again Babaylan mural: LAPC & MM

This Born Again Babaylan mural, created by Bekah Badilla, is located on the eastside of Bend, Oregon. Bekah is a Filipina/White American who was born in Alaska and now lives in Bend.

The first photo shows a close up of Babaylan.

close up of mural

The second photo shows the entire 18′ x 44′ mural in the light of dawn.

Born Again Babaylan

The artist put a lot of thought into this work. Here is an excerpt from her site describing the Born Again Babaylan mural:

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Landscape of Dreams mural: Monday Mural

This brand new Landscape of Dreams mural shows special sights you might see near Bend, Oregon. The mural is located in southeast Bend at the Bend Upstyle store.

The dream-like mural includes a landscape of volcanic peaks surrounded by towering trees and colorful wildflowers. A bighorn sheep ram gazes into the distance. Meanwhile, a longhorn bull, with a quail perched on one horn, looks directly at you. What’s the quail whispering to the bull as they drift through the landscape?

Landscape if Dreams mural

This rendering of Landscape of Dreams was created and painted by Kelly Odden of Kelly Thiel Studio. She was grateful for the assistance of her friend, Kristen Buwalda, for several hours.

Kelly, whose studio is in Bend, creates sculptures and paintings that include impressionistic portraits of animals and people. When I contacted her about the mural, she said the following:

“One of the best parts of working there was the folks who would stop by to chat, watch and ask questions! I had everybody from house painters to moms with sweet, disabled children come over to chat. It was wonderful to connect with others like that!” 

We are lucky to have so many special artists sharing their work in and around Bend!

Monday Mural

A flying unicorn mural: First Friday Art

This is a flying unicorn mural I painted in my daughter’s room when she was little. She could not decide between a flying horse and a unicorn so I painted both in one. 😀

I prefer working on small projects and had never worked on something so large. Piles of eraser dust accumulated on the floor beneath my rough sketches. I used acrylic paints, and a lot of patience, to complete this mural.

flying unicorn mural

Do you have artwork you would like to share? If so, include a First Friday Art tag on your post.

First Friday Art

South Tunnel Murals in Bend: Monday Murals

The South Tunnel Murals, designed in 2012 by local artist, Paul Allen Bennett, are located in the Old Mill District of Bend, Oregon. These works were completed by 20+ designers from Nike working side by side with Arts Central Art Academy students and Boys and Girls club members.

South Tunnel Murals

See the tracks of shoes running along the lower border? I wonder if those could possibly be from Nike shoes. Hmm…

Bright paintings in Bend

These brightly colored images of fish echo the inhabitants of the Deschutes River, located right next to this tunnel.

Fish paintings in Bend

For now, there are no paintings on the exterior walls of the South Tunnel Murals. I’m hoping another artist will brighten up the dull concrete like they did for the “Tunnel of Joy” nearby.

South Tunnel Murals

Monday Murals

Colocasia esculenta Mural: Monday Mural

Colocasia Esculenta mural

This Colocasia Esculenta mural, created by Danny Fry in 2020, shows colorful elephant ear plants. This plant, referred to as taro or kalo, is common in Hawaii, where Danny grew up.

The colorful leaves of this mural represent the mix of people here in Bend, Oregon. Many people move here from other locations, and this mural reflects that growth in a positive light. For example, Bend hosts several thriving restaurants and businesses run by Hawaiians.

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Deschutes River mural in Bend: Monday Mural

Deschutes River mural in Bend, Oregon

The Deschutes River mural is by husband and wife artists, Paul Bennett and Carolyn Platt. The artists created this mural in 2012. This piece, along with their Dogs mural, is on display at the Strictly Organic coffee shop. These works are in the Old Mill District of Bend, Oregon.

In this shot taken from a distance, you can see the smokestacks of the old mill building that now houses a REI store.

Mural in Bend, Oregon

Monday Mural

Mayors Square Mural in Troutdale: Monday Murals

This photo of the sun-dappled Mayors Square Mural reflects past times in Troutdale, Oregon. Muralists Dwayne Harty and Tammy Callens created a depiction of what the town looked like in the early 1900s. Completed in the fall of 2016, this work shows every type of ground transportation available in the beginning of the 20th century. The mural includes a train, horse & buggy, automobiles, bicycle, freight truck, and freight wagon.

Mayors Square Mural

Monday Mural

My badger painting in the snow: Wordless Wednesday

My badger painting in the snow

Wordless Wednesday

See also High Desert Mural.

Art with a twist: A riddle in pictures

These three pieces of art with a twist by Dennis McGregor are displayed in the Old Mill District of Bend, Oregon.

Why do they come with a twist? Each piece represents the name of a local wildlife species but you have to figure out what they are. Can you guess?

Art with a twist in Bend, Oregon July 2020
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