Sacramento’s Wide Open Walls begins today

This mural was done by Charleston's Shepard Fairey for Wide Open Walls 2018. | photo by @edward.around.the.atlas

This mural was done by Charleston’s Shepard Fairey for Wide Open Walls 2018. | photo by @edward.around.the.atlas

Today kicks off Wide Open Walls, Sacramento’s 10-day celebration that invites artists from the world over to leave their mark on our city.

Wide Open Walls began in 2016 as the Sacramento Mural Festival, before rebranding in 2017. This year, ~20 artists have descended upon the River City to share their skills + help Sacramentans brush up on their art education.

Here are a few artists we think you should definitely check out + where their murals will be located:

🎨 Jolene Rose Russell | 6130 Birdcage Centre Ln.

This local artist explores mediums ranging from oils + acrylics to digital art. Her colorful work utilizes light + shadows to breathe life into its subjects. Her realistic style figures the natural world as a major player in her body of work.

🎨 Fintan Magee | 801 14th St.

This Sydney-based painter specializes in large-scale murals that can be found anywhere from Rome to Miami. With a focus on politics + social realism, his work tackles themes such as isolation, diversity, and migration.

🎨 IMAGINE | 901 Arden Way

Also known as Sneha Shrestha, this Nepali artist blends influences from Sanskrit scripture + graffiti to form her meditative works. Sneha also helped to establish Nepal’s first Children’s Art Museum in 2014.

🎨 mr. june | 400 Ballpark Dr.

Starting out as a graffiti artist entwined with the Dutch hip-hop scene of the 80s, the majority of mr. june’s work now consists of 3D illusions created from a combination of shades, shapes + lines.

A full list of murals can be found on the festival’s website + there’s even a tool to help you plan the best path to visit each one that catches your eye.

The celebration also includes a number of events — including concerts, art shows + opportunities to meet the artists themselves.

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