Art on the Streets Digital Archive

This mural references a Greek mythological theme, Europa’s abduction. In it, Zeus disguises himself as a docile bull and lures Europa with him, only to plunge into the sea and steal her away. Europa is stuck on the back of the beast. Or is she? Is she holding on for dear life or is she determined to go forward, and leave what she knows? Her gaze mourns whatever home she had — there is no going back. Suspended between vulnerability and agency, between plunging ahead and looking back, she longs for the past but even more for the future. The beast that carries her is calm, indifferent, a force of nature — perilous and divine, on whose broad back we might all find ourselves.

Orange is part of a series that has been evolving for several years — twelve improvised tapered forgings arranged in groups of three around an Archimedean spiral base. Their in-the-moment, “strike while the iron is hot,” un-fussed-with immediacy allows both the unique properties of hot-forge steel and also sensibilities from the artist's own subconscious to project in unplanned ways. This sculpture also includes an additional 3 spiral tendrils shooting energy skyward; all the elements move nicely in the wind. The shiny powder coat finish allows the subtleties to be enjoyed both from great distance and up close. The sculpture is meant to be understood non-verbally, much as a piece of music.

Reclaimed is made entirely from found and recycled materials — railroad track, steel, and concrete. The artist was intrigued by the possibility of turning these industrial, utilitarian objects into art. The sculpture draws people to immediately began to interact with it — using it as a frame for themselves and for objects in the distance. Its multiple frame-like openings invite interaction on different levels. This sculpture is the artist's take on the age-old blacksmith tradition of making the functional beautiful, and he is so pleased to see the enthusiastic response people have to it. What began as a desire to connect disparate objects and take them from mundane to engaging turned into a connection between people and art.

Hand-carved from Carrara marble, this sculpture invites close viewing from multiple vantage points, emphasizing balance, mass, and material presence. The seventh in the artist's O'Keeffe Series, it honors the American painter through two contrasting sides: one abstracting her Single Lily with Red (1928) in flowing organic contours, the other referencing her skull paintings through simplified bone-like geometry — creating a quiet dialogue between softness and structure, life and permanence.

The world’s gone mad. That statement actually has nothing to do with the title of this piece, but it’s true nonetheless. In these unsettling times, we need to be the ones who Create a better community. We need to Learn from past mistakes, so we aren’t doomed to repeat them. Rather than attacking those who think differently, we need to Laugh more often and enjoy each other's company. Most importantly of all, we need to Unite as fellow humans. We don’t have to agree on everything to treat each other with decency and respect. This mural began with an appreciation of the Bauhaus style that led Jay to create the custom typeface used in the design. The modular, geometric forms lend themselves to collaboration with the local creative community, who joined the artist for a group painting day.

Lina is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice bridges metalsmithing, visual arts, and immersive installations. Beginning in music and performance, her creative path evolved into a lifelong exploration of art as a space for resilience, connection, and renewal. Her art installation focuses on using the theory of color to create a space of emotion. This space is somewhere where dialogue is open to all and invites people to feel uplifted and inspired. This piece in particular is aimed at showing the spectator a physical experience of color and its effects on humans.

Labyrinthine Rising is comprised of eight interlocking shapes the artist calls non-objective organic forms. These shapes were originally created as individual sculptures but have now been assembled vertically. This whirl of forms spirals from the bottom to the top and beyond. The sculpture is meant to invite exploration from all angles. The viewer will discover that it dramatically morphs from one sightline to the next without repetition until the starting point is reached, maintaining interest and visual surprise.

Michael Brohman uses historical and contemporary events as source material to construct cultural landscapes in a three-dimensional format. The objective of his work is to understand the forces that have shaped us into who we are today. Landscapes and culture are never singular or fixed. They are constructed through lived experience, shaped by power, displacement, resilience, and adaptation. Michael's work links the past and present together through objects, words, materials, and imagery. The works may reference a physical location, the history of place, a perspective, or a state of being. It creates a view into who we are at this time and place in our collective histories and where we see ourselves in the future.

Jacob does his stone carving by hand, working closely with the intrinsic qualities of the material; he is also interested in the translation of work between different media. Head Stone is a bronze casting of an original Colorado Alabaster carving, retaining the unique textures and characteristics of stone. The patina is meant to reflect the high polish of the original carving. Its coppery red, gold, and blue highlights are true to the luminous material of bronze while paying homage to the beauty of Raku glazed ceramics.

Maureen Hearty is inspired by the forms, communities and eco-systems around her: the crooked line of a tree branch, stinkbug eggs gingerly attached to the underside of garden leaves, and adaptability. Her preference for building materials are slow decomposing waste; specifically, rusty old parts from farmer’s forgotten piles. She looks for opportunities to use art as a means to strengthen community through the creative activation of space. Flow Glow is built from steel scraps and an old John Deere seed bin, finished off with a solar LED light. The white ovals and pink circles in the center are moveable for the more curious and hands-on viewers to discover.

Stephen Landis views sculpting as drawing in three-dimensional space and works primarily in fired clay. Each sculpture begins with an image in his mind, which he follows until meaning emerges. This sculpture is inspired by Japan's Ama free divers — women who dove 30–60 feet without oxygen for pearl oysters and abalone. For most of their 2,000-year history, Ama dove naked except for a traditional loincloth, with a safety rope attached from their waist to a buoy floating on the water's surface. The divers were pressured to wear cotton uniforms post-WWII to avoid the disapproval of Western tourists. But bare skin dries faster than cold, wet cloth, which was a dangerous liability to the divers. The figure demonstrates the resilience of these remarkable women, holding a pearl in her left hand. Note: this sculpture will be installed the morning of June 29

Aiko Szymczak’s work is rooted in service, story, and healing. She has a deep passion for large-scale public artworks, with a strong focus on murals that serve communities in meaningful, lasting ways. Her work is designed with an understanding of how visual space can support safety, reflection, and emotional restoration. Her work weaves in themes of biophilic elements—nature as teacher, mirror, and medicine. She uses this visual language to reconnect people with the quiet power of the natural world, which holds space for both stillness and growth. At the heart of her practice is storytelling. Through black-and-white portraiture, she captures real people who experience moments of joy, contemplation, and hardship. These stories reflect the resilience of everyday people—the ones who rise, quietly and imperfectly, using what little they have to move forward. In Aiko’s work, blooms of color often emerge gently from grayscale moments, symbolizing the silent beauty of emotional growth and the hope that rises from adversity. She strives to create a visual exhale—an invitation to pause, feel, and listen. She often asks the viewer not to overlook the way the world whispers, because nature’s affirmations are always present for those willing to notice. She creates with the belief that when art reflects the soul of a community, it becomes a catalyst—for healing, connection, and the flourishing of all people. The mural is dedicated to the artist’s friend Julie and her son Harrison, who are Colorado Springs locals. Harrison was recently diagnosed with autism and Aiko wanted to create something meaningful for the family. There are elements throughout the mural that reference family history and heritage. The wolves represent their strength and wisdom—symbols deeply connected to them. The central wolf is howling over Garden of the Gods, enveloping Harrison in protection and love.

Where the Trees Dream envisions a dreamlike desert where a luminous, personified moon casts its gentle glow over surreal, towering trees. Rooted in stillness, their elongated shadows stretch across the landscape like echoes of another world. Blending familiar desert imagery with a sense of quiet magic, the mural invites reflection and wonder. A rich palette of cool blues, deep purples, and warm oranges evokes both calm and expansiveness. At its core, the piece is a meditation on nature’s quiet resilience—an invitation to pause, breathe, and rediscover beauty in stillness.

It's Mancho is a Colombian artist born in Bogotá. She studied Graphic Design and, in 2016, moved to Madrid, Spain, where she discovered her passion for illustration. At first, she feared not finding her own style, but she understood that it is an evolving process. As she explored different techniques, she began to define a graphic style that she feels increasingly connected to. Her work is inspired by her emotions and personal experiences, addressing themes such as migration, feminist social statements, her love for cats, and environmental protection. This mural celebrates female empowerment, highlighting the strength, autonomy, and presence of women in the artistic and cultural spheres.

Change abounds in nature. In Utah, water and wind are slowly eroding the ancient, rocky landscape. Erosion is a study of this universal process. Regardless of how hard something can be, a steady and consistent action can chip away parts of it. We can draw an analogy between this process and human life and to show another point of view. Erosion is present in both physical form and in our psyche. Despite age and other factors decaying parts of us over time, we always try to stand tall until the very end. https://jdsculpture.com

John E. Bannon draws inspiration from the natural world, reimagining everyday shapes and forms to highlight their inherent beauty and positivity. His work integrates elements of Gestalt psychology, holography, colored light, magnification, reflection, and illusions of weight and depth to create immersive environments that invite aesthetic engagement and quiet contemplation. Through these layered visual experiences, the artist encourages viewers to pause, reflect, and see the familiar in a new way. By fostering a personal connection with the work, he aims to spark moments of wonder that open new pathways of thought — offering fresh perspectives and inspiration that extend into the viewer’s own life.

With his work, Miguel invites us to see beyond the veil of appearances so we can reencounter ourselves with the inner nature of our world. He paints portraits of both life and environments, revealing their inner depth. They absorb each other as parallel mirrors, giving expression to a consecutive dynamic between the inner and outer reality of the world. Often, viewers recognize a part of themselves in his paintings, establishing a direct appeal to empathize with the world and inspiring the pursuit of ways to coexist with it.

Chad La Fever is a direct-metal sculptor based in Redlands, CA, with over ten years of experience in monumental sculpture design and fabrication. His work in metal sculpture is driven by his desire to tell meaningful stories about human culture. As a former archaeologist, he has focused his artistic portfolio on themes that explore the intersection of history and human experience. Public art preserves history, making it accessible for all and providing perspective on both past and present cultural events. He endeavors to design sculpture that resonates with a wide audience, promotes positivity, and sparks meaningful dialogue — key ingredients in building blocks of strong communities.

Creating a sculpture provides Fred Lunger the ability to create an object that by its nature is still, but gives the perception of life and movement. In doing so, this allows the viewer the ability to interact with his work. They can wander around it and touch it, creating a personal connection. He starts by developing an idea in his mind and mulling it over until he has the basic premise. He researches the subject to understand how it moves, stands, and interacts with its environment and begins building from there, adding and subtracting as necessary to develop the final sculpture. The result is creating a visually appealing piece of art that provides a connection and tells a story.

Hans Droog is a contemporary artist known for his compelling metal sculptures that often depict animals in dynamic poses. His work combines elements of movement and fluidity, emphasizing the characteristics and behaviors of the subjects he portrays. Droog typically uses materials like steel and incorporates techniques that highlight the texture and form of each piece. His sculptures are often commissioned for public spaces, making them accessible to a wider audience and enhancing community engagement with art. Many of his works explore themes of nature, balance, and the relationship between animals and their environments.

In her work, Bethany Yetter explores how human relationships with nature affect mental health. Her pieces highlight the benefits of connecting with nature in an industrialized society. While she examines mental health and environmental issues independently, she finds their intersection especially interesting. She's found that connecting with nature benefits her mental state and hopes to encourage others to reconsider their connection to the natural world. In our modern age, it is easy to create distance between daily life and the environment, as society is designed to separate the two. Her work serves as a reminder of nature’s role in our lives and promotes unity with the environment rather than dominance over it.

Hand-built, fired clay is Sara D’Alessandro’s unique medium. Her sculpture evolves; it is a seeking. Pursuing energy and animation, not idealization, she prefers asymmetry over symmetry and “the heat of creation” over refinement. There is a thirst in the public eye for volume, mass and texture absent in most contemporary public sculpture. The transit of the sun mobilizes light and shadow over volumetric forms animating “Chanteuse” throughout the day, giving this figure a sense of being inhabited. Her sculpture is intentionally void of specific narrative, allowing the viewer to bring their own experiences to the work. She hopes to elicit a visceral response, not an intellectual one, with her forms.

Jacob’s work is an expression of man’s relationship to natural forces. He currently focuses on the use of fabric as an initial material because of its ability to conform to the invisible forces of gravity and tension, creating a tangible, energetic form to depict their effects. The draped fabric is then transformed into a rigid material such as bronze or aluminum through the foundry process. The healing aesthetics of flow and dance are built into each sculpture by mindfully and playfully integrating this energy into a symbolic dance.

Patrick’s creative practice embraces change, and he is inspired by the dichroic elements in this work, moved by the breeze, that change color depending on the angle to the light. Imagine those photons, leaving the sun, crossing space, the atmosphere, and glancing off one of these elements to be captured just so in the rods and cones of the viewer's retina to create just that shade of blue. Says Patrick: “It makes me feel humble and happy. I hope it does you, too.”

Ian Stewart, aka Ennuain, is a multidisciplinary mural artist whose work transcends traditional boundaries, merging the physical and the digital through the dynamic lens of augmented reality (AR). Colorado Butterflies is a celebration of the beauty and diversity of butterflies found in the greater Colorado landscape. Butterflies are not only exquisite creatures but also serve as important pollinators and indicators of environmental health. Through this mural, he aims to raise awareness about the importance of preserving their habitats and supporting biodiversity.

For thousands of years and across innumerable cultures, feathers have represented a connection to the spiritual. They are not only a physical symbol of flight and freedom, but also symbolic of spiritual evolution. Universally, feathers are a positive and uplifting image, bringing to mind freedom, truth, courage, travel, spirituality and more. No matter your age or cultural background, this artwork is immediately recognizable as an uplifting symbol of freedom and happiness. It’s welcoming and engaging and invites viewers to get closer and explore the visual details, the finish and the varying textures.

Kerry has worked as an artist and designer for over 15 years, creating everything from murals and infographics to storyboarding and brand-identity projects. The prominent focus of this design is a floating heart, “held” by an adolescent figure with its face obscured by flowers and plants. The heart is surrounded by icons and symbols that convey the importance of balance –the key to a healthy, heart-centered life as we move forward in time. The heart represents the center of emotion - often associated with courage, love, passion, and compassion. The overlapping figures and symbols relate the importance of living heart-centered, with emotional intent, love, and compassion for the benefit of the individual, which in turn suggests the same for the human collective, our earthly home, all elements of nature, and the cosmos at large.

Modeled after one of Juan’s recently completed paintings, with this this mural the artist seeks to evoke a sense of hope and inspiration, utilizing the timeless symbolism of the origami crane suspended gracefully over ethereal clouds.

This image of two kissing camels is a playful nod to the famous rock formation in Garden of the Gods. Naomi specializes in humorous and hyper-realistic portraits. She’s won many awards and recognitions for her chalk art, including several awards from the Denver Chalk Art Festival. Originally from Colorado and now living in Florida, Naomi hopes her whimsical image of this long-beloved local landmark makes people smile.

Kasia takes inspiration from her surroundings, aiming to add beauty and interest to new places where the passerby can feel uplifted, inspired and discover something new. With Lepidoptera she hopes to share the wonder of these magnificent insects and remind people that butterflies are important pollinators whose life and work are crucial to keeping our natural environments flourishing.

Seeds in the Wind is the ninth piece in a nine-part series titled A Journey of Growth and Transformation, which follows the growth of seedpod from a little bundle full of limitless possibility through the journey of accepting the calling, taking the leap, experiencing a fall (or many falls), stepping into forward motion, budding with gratitude, blossoming and finally into spreading her own seeds to the wind so that they might land where they may and begin their own unique journeys. Jodie hopes that the pieces in this series are able to inspire viewers – at whatever stage of their own journey they are in – to keep moving forward and be gentle with themselves, stay hopeful that this too shall pass, and that there is value to be gained in every stage of life.

Dominique Montaño is a wildlife artist who focuses on highlighting animals and nature to illuminate the dangers threatening the world around us. A master’s graduate at Colorado State University focusing on zoology and comparative physiology, Dominique always has been fascinated with the incredible diversity of animals and how they operate in the world around them. With an eye toward conservation of these animals, Dominique focuses on highlighting the plight of her subjects, and subsequently donates portions of proceeds to animal conservation organizations.