Touring Houston’s New Murals

If you’re like me and have been hunkered down at home for the past few months, you may have missed some of the vibrant new murals that have popped up all around the city. This week, I got out of the house and drove around various neighborhoods, including the Heights, the East End, Montrose and Third Ward. I noticed lots of street art I hadn’t seen before. Here are some of my favorites. 

The Creative Flow by GONZO247 
1516 Spring St. 
You might already be familiar with GONZO247, a native Houstonian and founder of the graffiti/street art gallery Aerosol Warfare. The Creative Flow is a panoramic piece inspired by GONZO247’s own experiences in Houston’s diverse and active Arts District. This mural is located in a parking lot, so you can park your car and then get right up close to the dynamic artwork. If the gate to the parking lot happens to be closed, you can still get a great view of the piece from Spring St. 

Casa de Dali Mural by Betirri  
2810 Beauchamp St. 

Casa de Dali by Betirri is located at 2810 Beauchamp St. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)

Located on the wall of an apartment complex in the Woodland Heights area, this mural depicts Houston landmarks in a surrealistic “Dalian” style. My favorite part of the piece is the clock in the left-hand corner, an obvious nod to Salvador Dali’s The Persistence of Memory painting. In Betirri’s mural, the clock actually represents Houston’s Sweeney Clock, located on Main St. in downtown Houston. 

#YestotheCensus by Sebastien "Mr. D 1987"
1203 Westheimer 
This mural by "Mr. D 1987", located on the wall of Lightbulbs Unlimited in Montrose, is one of five pieces commissioned by Houston’s UP Art Studio to promote Houston and Harris County’s #Yes to the Census campaign, encouraging Houstonians to fill out the 2020 census. The piece depicts a Houston skyline in rainbow colors inside of a camera roll. 

Stronger Together by Vivienne Dang 
1420 Edwards St.
Just in case you missed this soulful piece by Vivienne Dang from the 2019 Houston Mural Fest, I’ve included it on this list. Inspired by the true story of three generations of owner-operators at Stanton’s City Bites, this piece depicts siblings Samantha and Jonathan Fong, leaning on each other in partnership as they continue their family’s legacy. Here is a full list of public art pieces from the 2019 mural fest.  

Discovery Green Artwork 
1500 McKinney St. 
Discovery Green always has fun and inspiring art installations, and that has not changed during coronavirus. On one side of the park is a new piece called Hands of Heros, created by artist Anat Ronen. This isn’t exactly a “mural,” as it’s a three-dimensional installation, but I’m including it anyway as I think it’s a must-see. The piece is dedicated to Houston’s essential workers, who have kept the city going during the coronavirus pandemic. 

George Floyd Mural by Donkeeboy 

This mural by Donkeeboy is a tribute to George Floyd. It is located at 3341 Winbern St. (Photo: Pooja Salhotra)

3341 Winbern St. 
This colorful tribute to George Floyd by Donkeeboy is located in the Third Ward neighborhood, just a few blocks from where Floyd grew up. The piece depicts Floyd with angel wings and includes the words “forever breathing in our hearts” forming a halo over his head. Along the mural are flowers, signs and candles community members have left to honor Floyd. 

Houston Curtain Mural by Emily Ding 
1018 Cleburne St. 
I was immediately blown away by the detail and scale of this mural on the side of a building for lease in Midtown. The piece shows individuals pulling a curtain back to unveil a beautifully bright and optimistic representation of Houston’s skyline, with birds soaring through the air. Emily Ding has a knack for creating dramatic yet balanced pieces with texture. Check out her other work here. 

#HopeforHou by GreenStreet

This color wall is meant to uplift Houstonians post-quarantine. (Photo courtesy of Midway) 

1201 Main St. 
This multi-colored wall in downtown was launched by GreenStreet, downtown’s mixed-use development, during the shelter in place order in Harris County. The artwork was meant to provide Houstonians with something bright and hopeful to see after quarantining. This wall is certainly bright, and it provides a fun backdrop for selfies or photoshoots with friends. 

This list is only the beginning. There were dozens more murals I spotted while driving around Houston. I encourage you to get out and explore – even if coronavirus forces you to stay in your car! 

Editor’s note: For more on Houston murals, see these past stories on murals in the Heights and downtown area and in Montrose.