RENARTWLK 2020: a virtual tour

Mural week is over and there are sixteen new murals in downtown Rensselaer. Posts last week watched the artists work on them and showed them in various stages of completion. This post will walk you through the sixteen in a virtual tour that will begin on Van Rensselaer Street near the Court House. From there you can see the chess queen mural by Caesar Perez.

Perez is from Chicago and he was recommended for RENARTWLK by another muralist, Max Sansing. He posted a picture of his mural on Instagram with the comment: "Just finished up over at @renartwlk over in @cityofrensselaerin where I had a fantastic time" and he then lists people he worked with.

Continuing down the alley, as you reach the end you will find the mural of a tiger by FASM Creative. He is an old friend of Cameron Moberg and Cameron credits him with helping him become a street artist. His comment on the picture of the mural on Instagram was, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7"

Now we walk to the northwest along front street, crossing Washington Street until we get to the alley behind Embers Station. As we walk along the newly paved alley, we find a wall with two small murals, one done in 2019 and the other in 2020. The newer one is signed Bugs but it is by Ricky Watts, who did a much larger mural that we will see it a bit.

Continuing, we find a colorful mural by Christine Riutzel. She is an artist from Branson, MO. Cameron found her on Instagram and she is one of several younger artists that he wanted to help by giving her the experience of being a part of a mural fest.

Her comment on the mural on her Instagram account was, "Finished this in 3 days. Dang. I'm having a blast in Rensselaer at @renartwlk. Thanks to @camer1sf for the invite and being so welcoming! I'm so excited to have participated in my first mural fest!"

One the side of the building is a much larger mural by an artist that goes by the name Pawn. He is a California artist who has done most of his work in California and took the opportunity of painting in RENARTWLK to paint outside of California.  The mural is very long and hard to capture in one photograph.

On the wall next to that decorated by Pawn is an even bigger mural by Ricky Watts. He is another California artist and these colorful abstract designs are typical of what he paints. He found the wall, which was in a rather sorry state, a challenge to paint, but Cameron says that a mark of a good muralist is to be able to use the wall to one's advantage. His Instagram comment on the work was, "Wrapped up this week-long project in Rensselaer, Indiana for @renartwlk. BIG shout outs [long list of people]."

There is one more major work in this bay between buildings. It was painted by Chicago artist Max Sansing. The key is something he paints in a lot of his murals. He worked with Cameron in Lafayette on the murals done there.

We walk to the end of the alley and cross the street and look back to the wall of First Merchants bank. The painting here has twelve sections, each done by an artist that contributed in one way or another in RENARTWLK 2020.

Artists represented are: @allisonbamcat @rickywatts @sub_urban_warrior @pawnpaint @mister_toledo @alex_ann_allen @artistryanp @maxsansing @beautyfromlight @nick.abstract @fasmcreative  @camer1sf 
(Clicking a name should take you to their Instagram page.)

Continuing through the second alley, we find the back of a building with a mural by Mitchell Austin who signs with the name Metabyte. He is an Indiana artist. This was the first mural of 2020 started and the first finished.

He had a long comment about his experience on his Instagram page: "I probably say this after every wall I do but this time I mean it. This is my favorite thing I’ve painted to date! Wish I coulda stuck around a bit longer than I did, worked on this 2 full days morning to night. Had to work almost nonstop in the heat bc I was working on a tight schedule. Drove back and forth-3hr commute, total of 12hrs bc I’m crazy! It’s always a pleasure tho, I had a blast & I got to meet some cool artists that I look up to. My homie @camer1sf knows how to pick em let me tell ya! Looking forward to our paths crossing again!"

Continuing to near the end of the alley, we find a group of seven new murals done in 2020. On the northwest side of the alley is a large mural of a scarlet ibis done by California artist who goes by the name Allison Bamcat. Her Instagram comment was: "Completed wall for the amazing community of Rensselaer, Indiana for @renartwlk 30x20’, all spray can. I haven’t been so happy in such a long time, truly. This place is full of magic. Thank you to @camer1sf @embers_station ...and every soul I’ve met here, including new and old friends."

A second mural on this side of the alley is an abstract parting by Nick Smith, another artist from Indiana. His comment on his Instagram picture of the mural was, "Hand painted (no tape) 18x45 ft mural painting for the fine folks at @renartwlk. Truly a great festival in 'small town Indiana,' full of smiles, laughter, and new friends. Thanks to all who helped make this one happen. Rensselaer will have a special place in my heart now. Mural dedicated to all small agricultural towns in Indiana that are so flat, with corn/bean fields with large barns. This mural design is an abstracted landscape of a farm. From a bright blue sky with a big cloud to shapes similar to a big ol' barn on the left. Hope you enjoy. What do you think?"

There is a third painting completely hidden from the alley. It is on the side of the building that has the ibis. I was told that it was the work of Nick Smith and Pawn. I can make out the second word as "Pawn" but I cannot read what the first word is, if it is a word. (Update: It is "Sean".) The wall shows no signs of preparation so this was probably done on the spur of the moment.

On the southeast side of the alley one cannot miss the portrait by Alex Ann Allen. She is from South Bend, Indiana and the portrait is of her brother, who had just graduated from high school. Ms Allen painted the face mostly with a brush, not a spray can.

Her comment on Instagram: "The background is spray paint. I used brushes for the face & my goal is to paint a realistic portrait with cans. I used my little brother Miguel as a reference. I’m proud of him for not only his accomplishments, but who he is as a person."

Late to RENARTWLK 2020 was Natalie Shugailo from the Chicago area who signs her works with the name suburban warrior. She is a friend of Allison Bamcat and when she found out that Bamcat was in Rensselaer, she inquired if a wall could be found for her to paint. Her wall was two walls, the back and side of a small addition to a building. She painted a firefly, and insect she had not seen before coming to Rensselaer. She also did not know that it was the Indiana State insect. She worked quickly and finished in two days.

The artist known as Mister Toledo is from California. His Instagram comment was: "FINISHED! Thank you @renartwlk and the town of Rensselaer for having me. Everyone was so nice and humble. So many amazing talented artists came, and did a killer job. This has been my favorite mural event ever. Thank you a millions @camer1sf."

The final mural of the walk is by Rensselaer's own Trent Musch.

A video shot by Local 219 (mentioned in an earlier post, is here.)

Posts showing the murals under construction:

Start

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday