CUSTOM BRAZILIAN WORKERS CENTER MURAL DESIGN

Working alongside the Murals in Motion program, I designed and painted this custom piece for The Brazilian Workers Center. They wanted something that not only conveyed an image of hope and pride, but also helped people find their less than obvious entrance.

This organization does great work supporting immigrants from South America with labor and immigrant rights and it felt like such a great opportunity to give them something special.

The wall is about 10’ x 14’ on the side of the building so we really wanted to lean into bright colors to catch people’s attention.

Client
Brazilian Workers Center

Year
2024

“His skill enabled us to express our values and optimism through our breathtaking work of public art. He has the artists’ gift to translate not just words but their subtle meanings into vivid color, and further he’s a joyful and positive presence, planful, well-prepared, and kind.”

— Libby Hanna | Brazilian Workers Center

With the key elements in mind, I went looking for inspiration in the form of South American street art. Known for their vibrant colors and bold characters, I started by looking at the work of Os Gemeos and branching off from there. I found beautiful patterns with flowers and flowing colors that really set me off in a good direction.

From there it was time to sketch. I created two concepts, one more football focused since there was a request for the jersey and another that’s more people focused. Each one has a natural flow to the left where the door is located which was key, so I sent them off to the group for a consensus.

They got back to be quickly and absolutely loved the one on the right, with the woman holding a child and pointing out the distance. Using the inspiration and palette of the Brazilian flag to start, I worked in Adobe Fresco to create a digital mock up and fine tune the colors.

Once approved, I went to the store to get colors using the swatches above. With paint in hand, it was time to get painting!