Chalk up another successful year of artwork for John and Jessica Winters and the PRHBTN team of volunteers and donors. This year brought in four artists from diverse places to add more color and variety to ever-growing mural collection in Lexington, Kentucky. In fact, this year had some huge and lovely works completed.
More than most years, I was able to follow some of the artists and track their work from beginning to end to see how they do it. It was fascinating.
Spencer Reinhard Panel Mural – near Lexington Transit Center
The first of the five works to be completed came from local Lexington artist Spencer Reinhard (who now currently resides in Cali, Colombia), who did a colorful four panel piece next to the Lexington Transit Center on Vine Street. Being the bird lover that I am, I instantly fell in love with these four panels. Reinhard painted these earlier in the summer and then they were placed on the wall near the bus terminal where he touched them up.
The four panels are each separate paintings depicting different themes.
Panel One (from the Right) seems to depict a city, but I don’t have many details about it.
Reinhard, who paints a number of different themes, has a focus on animals and has done some very nice pieces about the lovely Green Heron, one of my favorite birds and a frequent visitor in the summer at Lexington’s Jacobson Park.
His other three panels depict a number of birds and some other animals.
Not only does panel 3 include a couple of Green Herons, but a few other birds including a flamingo, a white pelican, a blue heron and a night heron, all of which (other than the flamingo) have been seen in Lexington.
Panel Four includes a number of other birds.
Fintan Magee Mural – on side of School Sushi on Short Street
The next project to get going was by Australian artist Fintan Magee. Fintan is well known around the world for giant works of art, which includes the large mural he completed in Lexington in early October 2018. This untitled work is a an instant classic and has come to already be one of my favorites in town. I got to speak with Fintan about his project and he designed it from a couple of photos that he had. It shows what seems to be an exhausted couple. In Fintan style he also included an “Easter Egg” in the upper left corner of the mural. You must stand at a specific spot in the parking lot to see it properly. This amazing work only took Fintan three days to complete. Then he was off to the Middle East for another project.
Alice Mizrachi Mural – on side of CycleYou on Midland Avenue
While Fintan Magee was finishing up his mural, New York artist and art instructor Alice Mizrachi was working on her massive mural entitled “Letters of Gratitude: Dear Mom.” Alice commissioned a few local artists to assist her on this nearly eighty foot wide mural dedicated to mothers. This large work took nearly a week to complete but really makes a great addition to the art pieces dotting the city.
I was impressed at the complex and intricate details in her work. The butterflies, the flowing hair, the flowers. All were very meticulously done.
TRAP Murals – Whitaker Bank Ballpark and Distillery District
The street artist known as TRAP, also from New York, accompanied Alice Mizrachi to leave his mark in Lexington. He was commissioned to do a piece at the Whitaker Bank Ballpark, home of the Lexington Legends minor league baseball team. While in Lexington, he also left another mural hidden away in the depths of the Lexington Distillery District as part of his #trap50stateblockbustertour
Patch Whisky Mural – New Cosmic Charlie’s on Loudon Avenue
The last mural to be completed in Lexington was another massive and whimsical work by South Carolina street artist Patch Whisky. A very busy artist, he focused on his mural entitled “Candy Kraken.” Patch has done contract work for many companies as well commissioned works all over the United States and elsewhere. You can’t miss his comic-style work.
Patch Whisky is very personable. I visited with him a couple of times. He started in street art at a young age and enjoys the gypsy type of lifestyle that his art allows him to do. This piece is lots of fun!
Have you seen my new book yet? “Less Beaten Paths of America: Quirky and Offbeat Roadside Attractions” is now available on Amazon!
The book is 130 pages of FULL COLOR whimsy and kitsch as I tell stories of my visits to these places all over the U.S. and Canada. Definitely was fun taking these back roads trips to quirkville and I am excited to share them with you in words and photos.
I hope you will be able to check out the book or even get it on Kindle. You can order the book here:
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