The talented team at Blend Creative Minds added some extra flavor to a westside neighborhood with their mural at our 5444 W. 38th Street location. The project is part of a larger collaboration with the Arts Council of Indianapolis—the Every Part Matters mural project. The public project includes ten new murals by Indiana artists on the exterior walls of our stores and is facilitated by the Arts Council of Indianapolis.
The mural at our store on west 38th Street was inspired by a Brazilian folklore and is titled “Boitatá.” This particular myth stood out to the creative team made up of Erica Parker, Rafael Caro, and Lauren Neely, because of the colorful and lively imagery of the story. “Boitatá” is symbolized by a snake of fire or light. The snake is said to bring light into a dark world and is a sign of protection and hidden treasures. But before settling on this particular artistic direction they researched multiple stories from various Central and South American countries.
“It was important for us to acknowledge at least some aspect of this lively multicultural district,” said Erica Parker from Blend Creative Minds. “We chose the folklore route because we wanted to dig deeper than the surface and acknowledge a story about the roots of life.” Paker continues by saying, “The area surrounding this Jiffy Lube location was comparatively dull in contrast to the people who live and work around this area. Our hope is that the vibrant colors we used in this mural will celebrate this diverse and dynamic community.”
A Work In Progress
The first day, Erica, Rafael, and Lauren worked diligently to get the background painted and then waited for the sun to go down. Once it was dark enough they used a projector to display a full-scale draft on the wall.
“As the sun went down, the community became more alive,” Parker said. “Beautiful, classic lowriders passed by, booming oldies out of their speakers. People were constantly honking at the intersection, which was exciting because I think they were actually honking for us! I loved the busy atmosphere. It was so surreal because it didn’t feel like typical Indiana.”
Finishing Touches
The entire project took three days and about 17 hours. In true Indiana fashion, they were met with some wild weather! From crisp, fall-like air to thunderstorms and wind to heat and humidity. On the final day, with temperatures in the high 90’s, they geared up with sunhats, sunscreen, and plenty of water and Gatorade to finish their masterpiece. We’re so humbled that the three of them braved the unruly weather to complete this truly amazing mural!
“I cannot begin to explain the amount of satisfaction, exhaustion, and relief we felt when we stepped back to look at our completed piece,” said Parker. “We brought that wall to life, we finally gave something to the community that reflected the beating heart of the area.”
Five other murals will be completed in 2018 and the remaining four will follow in 2019. The 2018 mural artists and locations are:
Carl Leck — 8175 Allisonville Road (Castleton)
Craig Martin — 2 S. Earl Avenue (Lafayette)
William Denton Ray — 6275 N. Keystone Avenue (Glendale)
Barbara Stahl — 1280 N. Green Street (Brownsburg)
Shamira Wilson Young — 5630 N. Georgetown Road
You can connect with the artists of the Boitatá mural through the following channels:
Blend Creative Minds Facebook: Facebook.com/blendcreativeminds
Erica Parker
Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/vivrantthaang
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivrant_thaang/
Rafael Caro
Website: http://www.rafaelinspired.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rafikigram/
Lauren Neely
Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LaurenNeelyFineArt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loloneely/
“Since 1985, Jiffy Lube of Indiana has been committed to Growing People Through Work and to the reality that Every Part (of our community and our business) Matters,” explains Jiffy Lube owner Steve Sanner. “We work hard to challenge our employees to reach their full potential and to expose them to things that may be outside their typical comfort zone. Our commitment to public art provides both internal and external benefits to our people and the communities in which we work and live.”
