I’m thrilled to share this 3-sided, 9-foot mural I created for Orem City Center Park! The mural is my celebration of our community and its many cultures—our individual colors rich and vibrant, and playing off each other. One person’s smile becomes another’s hairline, as we are united in our differences and varieties. (You might also…
When I was given the opportunity to teach a set of week-long comics workshops at the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, CA, I had no idea it would be such an important week in my life. This summer has been packed with teaching comics workshops for children and teenagers in my home state…
Great news! We have the chance to show our appreciation for the Provo River Trail murals I painted last fall: http://beedfack.com/do/survey/623 Vote #20 Graffiti/Public Art: Provo River Trail Murals by Jess Smart Smiley
YEAR IN REVIEW 2013 has been quite a year! I’m so grateful for the opportunity I have to work in a field that I love and to put more of my favorite pictures and ideas into the world. Here are a few project highlights from the year: Life, the Universe and Everything This was my…
Saturday was nuts! After 200 hours of planning, priming and painting, Provo City celebrated the new murals along the Provo River Trail with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Joined by dozens of good friends and family, we heard a few words from Provo city mayor John Curtis and council members Kay van Buren and Gary Winterton.…
For the last six weeks I’ve been painting a second mural for Provo City. After putting in over 200 hours, I finished just before Halloween and thought I’d take some time to post some process photos and talk a little about making the mural. (You can read more about the project and see photos from…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXwiu18J9H0&w=420&h=315] My brother recently stopped by the tunnel, where I’ve been painting two 100-foot murals for the city of Provo. I knew he had a camera strapped to his chest, but I didn’t know he had been filming the entire time we were talking. Here’s a little taste of the tunnel so far, with another…
For the last two and a half weeks I’ve left behind the comfort of my studio to work in a tunnel. In an effort to clean up and brighten the area, the Provo City Police Department has commissioned me to paint a mural along the Provo River Trail. The trail continues below the road at…