We’ve had a significant surge in murals in Little Rock, Arkansas in recent years. There is finally a growing art scene in Little Rock that has headed onto the streets. Most of the street murals in Little Rock are in the downtown or south Main Street area with a couple in suburban areas.
Murals in Little Rock, Arkansas
Check out the street murals in Little Rock, Arkansas!
SOMA
Several of the murals are in the South Main area of Little Rock. South Main Street is also locally called SoMa. Just at the entrance to the SoMa area on the wall of Rock Town Distillery you will find a bright and inviting mural.
SOMA by Shannon Wallace Norman
This is a vibrant, exciting mural that welcomes visitors and embraces the re-invention of the newly thriving SoMa area of Little Rock. SoMa is home to cafes, Rock Town distillery, restaurants, shops, the Esse Purse Museum, Loblolly Creamery, and Bernice Garden. Bernice Garden also hosts a weekly farmer’s market, an annual cornbread festival and even more outdoor art.
The SoMa mural gives you a hint to the vitality that you will find as you head south on Main street!
The Esse Purse Museum Building
Yes You Can by Steven Otis
I have written about the Esse Purse Museum on the blog. This is a great place to visit!
On the side of the building near The Root Cafe (which happens to have the best burger in town as well as one of the best sandwiches in town) you will find Yes You Can by Steven Otis.
This might be the happiest mural ever! It was commissioned by the owner of the Esse Purse Museum, Anita Davis. Notice the skillet of cornbread (representing the cornbread festival) singing to all the fruits and vegetables.
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Now walk around to the other side of the Purse Museum and see:
Silhouette of Woman With Dog (and a purse) also by Steven Otis
Now come back down Main Street toward downtown Little Rock and check out the alley behind Raduno Brick Oven where you will find some painted doors.
Alley Behind Raduno Brick Oven just off of South Main Street.
Lie in Wait by Lisa Krannichfield
I love Lisa Krannichfield’s work. Her people are amazing. Check out her website here or you can follow her on Instagram here.
A Face to Remember by Bryan Frazier
You can check out more of Bryan Fraziers work at his website.
Down Town Little Rock
There are several more murals awaiting you just across the highway in downtown Little Rock.
Baker’s Alley
Baker’s Alley used to be, well, just an alley. Now it is a destination. There are painted doors down the alley as well as a mural in the nearby parking garage. The public was even invited to come and use stencils to paint the street in order to “have a river of color.” Recently they have added “herbs in the alley” by planting herbs in the brightly painted planter’s boxes.
Check out the mural and painted doors that are in Baker’s Alley. This is located behind the The Rep, the Arkansas Repertory Theater at 601 Main Street.
Migration by Guy Bell
This is a fascinating 900-square-foot mural that runs along a ramp that leads to the second level of the parking deck. It features American Bison. You will want to spend some time looking at this one. I love the way that the eyes of the Bison look like the headlights of a car thereby representing both the past and the future. You can check out more of Guy Bell’s art on his Instagram @guybellart.
Mr. Rogers 143 by Levi Agee
The door represents the idea of being kind to one another. The kindness initiative began in 2019 when Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf declared the 143rd day of the year a day of kindness in honor of the state’s beloved kindness patron and promoter, Fred Rogers, who spent most of his life in and around Pittsburgh. The number also had special meaning to Rogers, reflecting the number of letters in his favorite phrase, “I love you.”
Edgar by Jaquita Bell
PinJupiter by Heather Crockett
PinMarket by Matthew Castellano
PinCompassion by Steven Otis
PinJimi by Tyler Arnold
After Baker’s Alley you will want to see some of the other murals in downtown Little Rock!
Beneath the Surface by Matt McLeod
This was one of the first new murals that I remember popping up in Little Rock. You can see more of Matt McLeod’s work at his website. Beneath the Surface is located at West 6th St. and Main St.
PinGolden Harvest by Matt McLeod
Golden Harvest celebrates the rice industry in Arkansas. The mural’s downtown location was chosen specifically to highlight the impact rice has on the state and give urban Arkansans a glimpse of life on the farm. Arkansas produces approximately 50% of the rice grown in the U.S., according to industry statistics.
This mural is located at East 10th Street and Main Street. This is a busy location so it can be a little difficult to get a good look just driving past the mural. Try parking in the lot across the street in order to be safe while taking a look.
City Dreamers by Joel Boyd
Located on West 6th Street and Spring Street this mural is one of my favorites. It is soft and meditative and beautiful. City Dreamers shows two people who appear to be dreaming about and yearning for somewhere else. I imagine them longing for home. These murals are on either side of the corner of a building. The woman is imagining the sky line of Little Rock and the man on the other side is imagining nature. It says on the wall that the landscape of which he dreams is the Calico Rock area of Arkansas.
These were created by Joel Boyd and you can check out his facebook here and his Instagram @joelboydfineart.
Street Gallery by Jason Jones
I really enjoy the interesting, playful, and whimsical work of Jason Jones. You can take a look at his website here. His use of light and shadows is always fun to see in addition to his subject matter! I love the way the robot’s head lamp (eye?) falls on the artwork in Robot. In addition Jones creates what he calls “altered art” where he takes a thrift store painting and adds his own spin to it. This mural combines both mural painting and altered art! This mural is probably temporary so be sure and catch it before it is gone!
Playtime by Jason Jones
Another great mural by Jason Jones! This large, colorful and fanciful mural is located at Capitol Avenue and Main Street.
PinJust across the street from the Playtime Mural is another one by Guy Bell the artist who created the Migration mural above.
Another mural by Guy Bell
This one is on a temporary wall so check it out before it disappears!
PinTalk With Your Hands by the students at the Arkansas School for the Deaf
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Main Library – Central Arkansas Library System
A wall that runs along the side of the Main Library downtown is a combination of mural and mosaic. The art represents a variety of children’s books.
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Little Rock mural
Just around the corner from the children’s book wall mural there is a painting under the bridge that simply says Little Rock. Not particularly artsy, but I always like seeing it. Plus it is near Dizzy’s Bistro which serves my very favorite cheese dip in town!
PinAfter seeing the downtown murals head west on 7th street, past the Capitol Building Complex, past the Federal Buildings and when the road goes under the railroad tracks you are at the 7th Street Murals.
7th Street Murals
Painted by a variety of artists, these are some of the newest, most exciting, and most political murals in Little Rock. If you go on the weekend you will often find artists at work. While I was there on a recent Saturday I visited with Terry Brewer. He is doing a series of stenciled art work at the 7th Street Murals. You can find him at terrybrewer.art.
Jose Hernandez actually started working on murals in this area several years ago but in recent months many other artists have been adding their thoughts in art to the walls. Hernandez and Jermaine Gibson worked together to paint the recent section of wall with the portrait of George Floyd and the names of other victims of police brutality. You can find Mr. Hernandez on Instagram here @x3mex and Mr. Gibson here @greasepenlen.
Sadly, this area has also experienced some negativity with swastikas and other graffiti being spray-painted over the original art. However, the artists keep coming back and repairing the damage that has been done trying to replace hatred with positivity through the activism of art.
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PinMidtown
Now head to Midtown to 7011 Cantrell Road where you will find the adorable mural Chanel.
Chanel by Kristin Mccaslin
You can find Kristin Mccaslin on Facebook here. Her artwork is so fun and whimsical!
PinHope you enjoy the murals in Little Rock!
Here is a list of more great things to do in Little Rock that you can check out!
Thanks for stopping by,
Karen
