Search

nashville public art

Nashville murals, street art, graffiti, signs, sculptures and more

Open Search
Category

Endangered art

Long lost

SewingRight

This is a story about lost origins. The art is there, but its story is a mystery. There’s a neighborhood a little ways south of Rivergate Mall, on the west side of Gallatin Pike, that is unusual. It was clearly built as a residential neighborhood, but many of the houses have been converted into shops and offices, like parts of Berry Hill. Google Maps calls its Echo Meadows. And here we find the Goodlettsville branch of Sewing Machines Etc (there is also one in Knoxville). Besides selling and repairing sewing machines, Sewing Machines Etc has fabric and other sewing supplies and teaches sewing classes as well. What does any of this have to do with the mural of a fist grasping drawing and painting instruments? Nothing, as it predates the sewing store. Inquires inside reveal only that there was some kind of store that sold paint here in the past. Online tax records are no help either. The work is signed by Lee Long, which doesn’t lead anywhere. The sewing place opened in 2015, so the mural is older than that. It’s right across a driveway from some thick bushes, hence the angled shots. The current owners don’t seem inclined to remove it, and so it sits, testament to a forgotten store, and a hard to find artist.

SewingLeft

Located at 808 Meadow Lark Lane. There is parking in front and back of the store. Take a class or two and enjoy the art!

0

Hair loss

HairLoss

At some point in time, there was a barber shop/hair salon at the corner of 12th Avenue and Clay Street in North Nashville. The store is long closed, but some internet sleuthing suggests it was called Final Finish Salon. Whatever the name was, it has since been erased, but whoever did that took the trouble to preserve the rest of the mural. The mural is signed $quirt and dated 2003. There’s a bit of damage, possibly from bricking up a window. There’s also a bit of trompe l’oeil, a little three-dimensional effect, perhaps suggesting flipping the pages of a style magazine. The fate of this mural is uncertain, given the loss of the business it once represented. Call it endangered art.

Located at 1233 Clay Street. The mural faces 12th Avenue, where there is substantial free parking. Sadly, you can not get your hair done while you enjoy the art.

0

Northside Auto Clean Up

NorthSideAutoMain

North Nashville is changing, as is the entire city. This particular mural, with its records of parts of Nashville already long gone, may not be around much longer itself. Northside Auto Clean Up, located at the north end of DB Todd Jr Blvd, is for sale, and the business appears to be shut down, which means this mural goes in the endangered art category. The artist seems to be the same one who did the murals just down the street that I featured in Down at the corner. The style is quite similar, and like one of those murals, this mural references itself! You can see it in the upper right, where the car wash itself is included in the street scene. There are references to bygone North Nashville history. Center left is a sign that reads El Dorado Motel. All that’s left of the El Dorado today is the sign. And the factories are probably supposed to be the old Werthan Mills, which have long since been converted to condos. For more recent history, check out this Nashville Scene video in which Northside proprietor Pinky talks about the time when Snoop Dogg and Young Buck visited the shop.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Located at 1914 Dr DB Todd Jr Blvd. The mural is on the south side of the building, which is located just south of where DB Todd curves to the northwest and becomes Clarksville Highway. There is for the moment plenty of parking at Northside Auto Clean Up, as it seems the business is closed.

2

A neighborhood fence

SBFenceMain

Not all great art is from professional artists. Some of it comes from the kids in the neighborhood. This Eastwood home sports a brightly colored fence of work from clearly enthusiastic young artists. It includes a chalkboard labeled “commUNITY.” When I passed by, there was a little box of chalk beneath it so a passerby might add some art of their own. I think my favorite panel is the flag, but they are all great. There are two panels of flowers separate from the main group that you’ll find in the slideshow below.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Located at 301 Scott Avenue, at the corner with Benjamin Street. There is plenty of free street parking in this neighborhood. This is a private home, so please be respectful.

 

0

Love

Love

At 12th and Buchanan, there is a small green building. From the looks of it, it used it be a gas station. It will probably be gentrified before you know it. It’s probably happening now. All the big splashy new outdoor art you’ve heard about? I’ll get it to it at some point. But I also like to archive the smaller stuff that might not be around for long. This is sticker art, paper glued on to the building. Even if nothing happens to the little green building, this piece has a shelf life. Also, there’s a fun spider. See below.

Spider

Located at 1201 Buchanan Street, at the southwest corner of 12th and Buchanan. Plenty of street parking. The image above is found on the garage door facing Buchanan. The spider is on the wall facing 12th.

0

Yazoo Brewery, Herb Williams edition

YazooMain

Yazoo Brewery has a lot of outdoor art. Two artists have contributed to this. In this post, I focus on the works of Herb Williams, and in a later post, I’ll write about the pieces done by Michael Cooper of Murals and More. When I went inside to ask who had done the two murals above, I was told something like “Doug Herbert,” who was described as “the guy who does the crayon art.” I should have known. Hidden away in the loading dock area is one of Williams’s signature small striped animals, a bear in this case. (See below.) What will happen to this art is unclear. Yazoo is selling its current location, though it’s destination is unclear. The murals above might just go with them. They are metal panels attached to the wall and could be easily moved. Still, we have to call this endangered art.

YazooSmallBear

Located at 910 Division Street. The murals above are on the west side of the building, facing Overton Street. The small bear below is on the east side of the building, on one of the loading dock bays. This is the Gulch area, so lots of parking, some of it free. Yazoo has some parking for customers. There’s free street parking one block over on 10th, and most of the Gulch lots offer one-hour free parking. There’s also plenty of paid parking on neighboring blocks.

YazooBearYazooSnake

3

Wanda

WandaJackson

Wanda Jackson, the rockabilly legend, 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, is going to be giving a show in a few days headlining the Muddy Roots Music Music Valley Jamboree at the Nashville Palace. Muddy Roots is big on murals advertising their music and their shows. There are at least three in the East Nashville area. As a concert mural, this is probably temporary, but it’s too grand to ignore. Jackson is known for wearing pink and playing a pink guitar, so it makes sense that artists Milton Chavez and Jason Galaz chose a bright, in-your-face pink backdrop. Go get your selfie before it gets replaced with another concert mural!

Located at 1309 McGavock Pike, on the side of Relax and Wrap Barber and Style (well, that’s what the sign says – on the internet, it’s known and Relaxing Wraps Barber and Style.) There’s plenty of parking here and across the street, though often full with partons of the Village Pub and Garden. Baily and Cato, sadly, has closed. Get a cut, grab some grub, and enjoy the art!

2

Powered by WordPress.com.

Up ↑