Murals in Phoenix, AZ: Roosevelt District and More
Phoenix is a unique city with several areas containing street art and murals, especially in the Roosevelt Row area of the town. This is a trend that cities are utilizing to enhance areas or neighborhoods within a city. They do this with beautiful murals painted by local talented artists, especially talent that might otherwise be painting or tagging illegally or not where wanted.
This is Darrell and Erin on Travel with D and E. Join us as we check out the Phoenix street art scene in the Roosevelt Row and Oak Street Alley. Also, take a look at some extra special murals, including David Bowie and Prince, and why you should explore Phoenix’s beautiful street art scene.
Table of contents
Roosevelt Row Arts District
The Roosevelt Row Community Development Corporation is a group that for more than 15 years has been dedicated to advancing creative spaces, focus, and opportunities. They aim to create a sustainable arts district for local artists in the Roosevelt Row neighborhood. The initiative benefits artists, entrepreneurs, and residents alike.
Through their efforts, the Roosevelt Row Arts District is now downtown Phoenix’s walkable arts district. It features numerous art galleries, eateries, and bars, along with various boutique shops. Additionally, street art is scattered throughout the area, and an art museum is now available.
Calvin Goode Mural
In 2021, Isaac Caruso and Jesse Yazzie produced a collaborative mural to commemorate Calvin Goode. Calvin Goode was a Phoenix City Councilman from 1972 to 1994 and a Vice Mayor in 1974 and 1984. This mural features programs he helped champion including affordable housing and being an underserved youth advocate. “The Conscious of the Council” on the mural represents respect.
1-½ Street Mural Project
Murals on 1-½ Street, commonly referred to as “Mural Alley”, is a short section of a back alley around on the back of the Churchhill building. A collaborative team of artists painted the murals on “Mural Alley. The artists include:
Isaac Caruso, Gabriel “Leter” Pecina, Nyla Lee, Volar, Tato Caraveo, Lucinda Y Hinojos, Josh “BASK” Brizuela, Thomas “Breeze” Marcus, Lalo Cota, Jane Goat, JJ Horner, and Jesse Perry.
Oak Street Alley Murals
Now, this part of the Phoenix area is the Oak Street Alley murals. It’s really a cool attraction to explore. Artists painted numerous murals up and down the streets and the alleyways. What’s really interesting, from one mural to the next, is how it shows everything from the city, its history, and its people. It also depicts popular culture, whimsical designs, and the artist’s creative direction of the day.
These murals with bright colors were painted by dozens of artists and cover the entire length of the alley. Artists are continually refreshing or replacing the murals. Every time you go, you can see different murals.
Let’s go ahead and take a look at some more of these murals in the Oak Street neighborhood and alleys.
Prince
On West Roosevelt Street, next to Rodriguez’s Boxing Club, Maggie Keane made a massive mural paying homage to Prince. Prince Fans must drive by and check out this very creative mural located in the Grand Avenue Arts District.
David Bowie
A mural to pay homage to David Bowie was painted by Phoenix artist Maggie Keane, the same as the Prince mural. She painted the colorful murals in the summer of 2016, which the mural features based on 6 distinctly different photographs of David Bowie throughout his career. In 2020, she refreshed the murals after the paint had started to fade a bit, and it was tagged as well. The mural is located on 7th Street north of McDowell Road. Just pull into the parking lot there and you can take some good pictures of the David Bowie murals.
The Churchill
Located in the heart of Roosevelt Row’s public art scene, the Churchill is a locally focused community gathering space that combines food, beverage, and retail with arts, music, and community. The structure is formed using reclaimed shipping containers as part of their commitment to sustainability. It had a really fun vibe to it.
Erin and I stopped and got some food, so we had a good time there. Check it out if you’re in that area.
Other Murals in Phoenix
Key Takeaways
- Phoenix features vibrant street art, especially in the Roosevelt Row area and Oak Street Alley.
- Local artists create stunning murals, highlighting cultural icons like Prince and David Bowie.
- The Roosevelt Row Arts District promotes sustainability and artistic expression, hosting galleries and eateries.
- Murals reflect the history, people, and creativity of Phoenix, evolving over time as artists refresh them.
- Exploring the murals offers a unique and evolving art experience in the city.
Conclusion
When we visit cities, we really love to go and check out the great murals that are painted all throughout the town. And, of course, Phoenix was no exception, as you could tell from this post. The murals of Phoenix include a lot of great mural artwork, and we really love to see the talent. Remember, street art is always changing so you can expect to see new art next time you explore these areas.
Take a look at my other posts with murals, including Pensacola Graffiti Bridge (17th Avenue), the Abandoned Anasazi Inn at Gray Mountain, and the Two Guns Graffiti Gas Station and KOA Pool near Flagstaff, Arizona.
And look, if you like this content, you will want to check out our other videos covering Phoenix and its surrounding attractions including Dobbins Lookout in the South of the city in the mountains, along with the Wesley Bolin Memorial Park downtown. This is very underrated. Check out all our other posts and videos on our epic Arizona trip.
Also, check out all our other posts and videos on our Travel With D & E YouTube channel, covering the many fun and historical attractions. Please do us a favor and subscribe. Remember to leave a comment below if you have visited the murals in Roosevelt Row, Prince, or even David Bowie’s.
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