Titan Walls mural festival brings huge works of art to Chicago's West Town
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A unique art show will be on display on Saturday in Chicago, but it won't be in a gallery. You can only see it on the streets of West Town, and the paintings are enormous.
Near Ashland and Hubbard, artist Joseph Renda has been painting a mural of a bird with a spray paint cap on its head – creating the clouds.
"My work in general is all about nature and humanity, and our connection to nature, so I like to add human things into natural elements," he said. "When people look at my work, I want them to create their own story."
Renda is one of nine artists creating huge works of art for a mural festival called Titan Walls on Saturday.
Renda started painting on Sunday.
"If it was easy, and it was fast it, then it wouldn't be fun," he said.
Mandi Caskey – or as she's known, Miss Birdy – is painting a mural of a ferocious dragon helping a bunny.
"I'm really trying to show how something could be perceived as evil and destructive can be also something that in the right light can be helpful," she said. "Murals is a backbreaking job, but it is absolutely fun."
Caskey is from Columbus, Ohio, but she loves participating in festivals like Titan Walls.
"You can experiment, right? It's not like your typical commissioned mural. I don't have to adhere to what a client says. I get to flex my own muscles," she said.
The festival only runs for one day, but the murals will live on for long after
"Murals are so important to the culture of every city, because it becomes part of the story of that city," Caskey said.
This is the 6th year of Titan Walls. Visitors won't just see this year's nine murals. Art from previous festivals is still on display.
