She stood tall, all five-foot-whatever, in front of her soon-to-be masterpiece. Hands on her hips, arms akimbo, with a rainbow of paint colors spattered from the brim of her floppy hat all the way down her front to the toes of her New Balance hikers.
The artist at work.
Her canvas is the side of a building. After a few hours of hanging off a scissor lift, a gigantic bluebird will come to life from the end of her brush.
Meet Audie Pope.
From exterior warehouse walls to travel trailers to cotton gin facades, America is coming to life at the hands of artists in a big way. Audie is part of this wave. I met her at Millhouse Muralfest 2024 in McKinney, Texas (north of Dallas).
I’ve become a big fan of murals as my dog, Sally, and I have walked many miles in Dallas, Tucson, Seattle, Denver and other places, seeking out public art. Recently we’ve had the opportunity to meet actual mural artists (muralists, including Audie) at work. It started on a bike trail in Dallas and culminated with the weekend event in McKinney.
These artists work on such a large scale and with great detail and accuracy. Wild birds, flowers and other animals and plants come to life on the sides of buildings, bridge supports and travel trailers. Over the last few years I’ve been able to scope out these massive works of art by bike and foot and document them. I’ve even come up with bike rides centered around tours of mural locations. For example, within a 3-mile radius in my East Dallas home, I can show you at least 10 murals.
What has also been a real bonus for me as this has helped me with my own shift in cycling and hiking and walking philosophy–it has become about the journey and not the destination. Unless, of course, you count each stop at a mural between the beginning and end of a ride as a “destination.”
The pursuit of art and artists is a worthwhile undertaking either by bicycle or foot. From the Carrollton, Texas, Water Department’s manhole painting contest to events like Muralfest, our cities and towns are looking at new ways to bring a sense of community to their environs. We should promote and enjoy it all.
Relentless
