Bright Walls – Let’s Do It Again

In September 2021, I went on a Bright Walls tour in Jackson, Michigan, and I wrote a blog about it – Bright Walls in Jackson. There are SO MANY beautiful murals in downtown Jackson, and I was excited to attend the 2022 Bright Walls Finale event this weekend. They have added more than 20 murals in this final year of the multi-year event.

This greeeting is on the side of my son’s favorite coffee shop, Jackson Coffee Co., on Mechanic Street.

When driving through town, I always enjoy discovering one that I haven’t noticed previously. Here are two favorites that I see along my route to visit my son. The one on the left is on the side of the Grace School of Dance. See the heartfelt story behind this beautiful mural by clicking on this mlive link.

Yesterday, we invited family to meet us downtown to see the new murals. The first one we came to was this one! My 11 year old nephew asked, “What is that?” I told him, “That is an Alice Cooper, and it is awesome!”

There were plenty of fun new ones, and animals featured prominently.

Many of the murals line vehicle or pedestrian alleys. Some pictures are interupted by airconditioning units, electric meters, or apartment windows. I wonder if it is fun or creepy to have people gazing in awe at the side of your home.

Each mural has a sign to identify the artist and where they are from. I’m always happy to see the local artist participation, but there were artists from all over the state (Kalamazoo, Flint, and our family favorite, Sault Ste. Marie) and all over the world (Brazil, Australia, and more). This one (by an artist from Greece) was absolutely stunning and people lingered a little bit longer to discuss the underlying colors and meaning of this piece of art.

These were a couple of my favorite new ones. I always love animals and I particularly enjoyed the intrigue of the… umm, the birds? the faces? the creatures with the weird eyes and marshmallow heads.

We saw flowers old and new.

I’m not much an art aficionado, and you won’t find me seeking out paintings in museums, but as I’m sure you can tell, I am a super fan of the art around town in Jackson and if you live close enough to come check them out, you must! Be sure to use this map, and grab a bite to eat at one of the great restaurants downtown. I think you’ll find the experience REMARKABLE.