For the past two summers Sacramento has invited street artists, both local and international, to paint larger-than-life murals on buildings, walls and alleyways within the city.
Wide Open Walls 2016 – The First Installment
For 7 to 10 days these artists spend hours applying color – via paint brush and aerosol can – to some unlikely spots around town.
I did not learn about the 2016 Mural Festival until it was finished. However, I enjoyed visiting and photographing the murals and marveling at the talent shared.
Wide Open Walls 2017 – Many More Artists
In 2017 I learned of the festival – now called Wide Open Walls – prior to its beginning. While there were approximately a dozen artists in 2016, over 30 were invited to participate in the 2017 event.
I visited most of the new murals, many while they were “in process.” I wanted to watch the artistry unfold and to offer moral support to the artists who worked for long hours in Sacramento’s triple-digit summer temperatures.
“Inspired by the concepts of loss and renewal, Conrad creates visual metaphors that express the collective truths learned from these shared human experiences.”
Event producer David Sobon said “While many people have been to an art museum or gallery, few have ever seen a professional artist paint live. This is a way to see them in action and get engaged.” (Sacramento Visitors Guide, Summer 2017)
Here are a few of my favorites from 2017. All caption quotes are from the Special Edition of Inside Magazine, Mural Festival Program, Wide Open Walls.
The Artists
Contact information for each artist is listed at the end of this post. I encourage you to check out their websites and follow them on social media (Instagram handles provided).
And most importantly, go out and see their art!
“… heavily influenced by … Renaissance painters like Caravaggio … He endeavors to capture the stories and emotions of each subject he paints.”
“A Sacramento-based gallery, studio and event center that hosts a growing collective of artists … a local hub for creativity and inspiration.”
(The letters spell out “Humanity”)
“She is known for her detailed, realistic murals that often depict female figures, and explore the duality between strength and vulnerability, including the power associated with both.”
(Mural depicts Lady Gaga)
“In 1999, two art teachers who work at The Short Center North (SCN), an arts center for adults with developmental disabilities, founded The Mural Project in the hope of sharing the creations of artists with disabilities with the community.”
“… an assemblage of 17 women from across the globe who beautify the streets … in a shared commitment to creativity, education and social justice ….”
“Co-owners / directors of 1810 Gallery and members of MS Arts Collective.”
“Similar to how people construct memory – he draws together fragments of images to provoke wider unfolding associations, inviting us to consider how actions, events and representing images are interpreted.”
“They combine anime and graffiti art styles to create vivid pop imagery using a mix of spray paint and brush painting techniques.”
“His highly personal imagery is consistently inventive and ever-changing, but often focuses both human and animal forms, abstract designs, and universal symbols.”
Where To Go | What’s Next
For more information and a map of the murals, check out the website for Wide Open Walls.
Oh, and block off some time between August 9 and 19, 2018 to go see this year’s installment of art in Sacramento!
Wheelchair Accessibility
All of these murals are outside, which makes them easy to see and fully accessible by car or by wheelchair.
Artists listed alphabetically by first name
Here are the websites and Instagram addresses for the artists showcased in this post. I encourage you to check out their work and follow them on social media.
And I would LOVE it if you’d follow the Instagram account I’ve created for my photography: @Jeri_Murphy_Photography
Adnate (Melbourne, Australia)
www.adnate.com.au Instagram: @adnate
Artners Collaborative (Sacramento, CA)
Instagram: @artmerscollaborative
Bryan Valenzuela (Sacramento, CA)
www.bryanvalenzuela.com Instagram: @valentinopalomino
Christina Angelina (Venice, CA)
Instagram: @starfightera
DDOS (Sacramento and Stockton, CA)
ddso.org Instagram: @ddsoorg
Few and Far (Multiple Cities, Worldwide)
Diety, Meme and Ursula X. Young (All from California)
www.fewandfarwomen.com Instagram: @fewandfarwomen
Franceska Gamez and Shaun Burner (Sacramento, CA)
www.franceskagamez.com Instagram: @ewfrank
Instagram: @shaunburner
Jeff Musser (Sacramento, CA)
www.jeffmusser.com Instagram: @jeff.musser.art
Lopan and Ernie Fresh (Sacramento, CA)
Instagram: @lopan4000
Maren Conrad (Sacramento, CA)
www.marenconrad.com Instagram: @marenconrad
Raphael Delgado (Sacramento, CA)
Instagram: @artbyraphael
All Photos: © JeriMurphyPhotography (formerly known as Images by RJM)
Anything Is Possible Travel 
3 replies on “Sacramento Street Art – Wide Open Walls”
[…] seeking out the murals created during Sacramento’s annual Wide Open Walls festival. (Click here to read my post from March 30, […]
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Thanks for this postng. I’ve only seen a few of the murals so I am most appreciative of today’s entry. Thank you. As always, your photography is excellent.
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Thank you. I hope you’ll have a chance to see more of the street art. It’s truly inspiring!
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