In the Studio: Making murals — Artist Adrian Chavez has a vision for downtown Medford
Published 10:43 am Thursday, August 3, 2023
- Adrian Chavez painted this mural on the backside of Terra Firma Home.
Halfway down Middleford Alley in downtown Medford, on the back wall of the Over Easy eatery, two artists moved up and down a ladder last week putting finishing touches of detail on a portrait of a mariachi musician.
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The mural is the third for local artist Adrian Chavez — and he hopes there will be more.
Chavez’s studio partner and mentor, Ryan Moon, worked beside him as the the deadline for the project’s Haines & Friends Foundation grant rapidly approached.
Moon and his wife, Janice, share a studio space with Chavez as part of the artist group “Marrow Collective.” The group organizes pop-up art events and exhibitions and they share a vision of a mini-arts district in downtown Medford.
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“It’s a beautiful area with all the brick; it has so much potential. … We’re trying to create as many murals as possible,” Moon said.
Chavez pointed to his first mural, “Mahal,” painted two years prior on the back of Terra Firma only a few steps away from his current project. When he approached the owners of Over Easy about the possibility of a mural, they surprised him.
“I was ready to talk with them about conceptual ideas and designs, but they were just like, ‘Dude do whatever you want, we’re just glad you’re doing something,’” he said.
The wall was peeling paint before he started, he said. When Chavez brought Moon into the project to talk ideas, they decided on a cultural focus. Chavez pulled from his own cultural identity, deciding on a portrait of his brother-in-law — a member of a local traditional Mexican music band, Mariachi Joya de Oro.
When Chavez asked his brother-in-law if he would be the subject, the deeply humble man was honored, he said. Chavez then asked his brother-in-law to dress up in a simplified version of the regalia he wears on stage to take a picture for reference.
“I was like, ‘You can just wear the shirt and the pants, you don’t need to go to too much trouble. He comes out in the full outfit, he even did his hair, he had on the boots — everything,” Chavez said.
Chavez said his entire family is proud to see their culture coming to life on the wall and of the artist’s work.
This was not always the case.
“My father, his dream for me was to go to school and become a pharmacist because they have air-conditioning. That was his thing. When I told my parents I wanted to be an artist they were like, ‘That’s cool … please don’t,’” he said.
He respected his father’s cautious perspective, born of 30 years working in a factory environment, but he also enjoyed defying his parents and threw himself into his art.
He’s earning a fine art degree at Southern Oregon University. After his first mural in 2021, he was contracted as the master painter for Oregon Cabaret Theatre’s production of “In the Heights.” He has been called back for additional set painting and worked on murals with other artists around Southern Oregon, notably assisting on “Las Calles de Guanajuato” in Ashland.
His parents are beginning to see his vision.
“The other day my dad came out (to Middleford Alley) and he painted with me for a little while — just super sweet — then he sat and watched me paint for like, an hour, and we just talked,” Chavez said.
Chavez joined the Medford Arts Commission in 2015 as a high school student and still serves — though the organization recently dissolved into the Public Arts Selection Committee and no longer meets regularly, he said.
One of the only artists on the commission, he said he met some resistance in his belief there should be more murals covering a wide variety of topics in downtown Medford. Some members of the committee felt murals had to have historical significance or portray local landscapes.
Chavez along with the Moons continues to strive for creative freedom and additional murals. Nearby businesses have been enthusiastic, Chavez said.
At his day job — Jackson Creek Pizza — the owners, co-workers and customers have been supportive. He was able to take two weeks off to paint as co-workers volunteered to cover his shifts. Businesses around Middleford Alley have come out to offer the artists free food and drinks as they painted.
The owners of Jackson Creek Pizza also own Burger Spot, he said, just around the corner from the mural. The owners have walked over to check on his progress and offer compliments like, “You’re killing it man,” Chavez said.
Diane Wallace met Chavez when she came in as a customer at Jackson Creek. Wallace is lifelong lover of art — and sometimes works to raise money for artists. When she learned he was painting a mural, she donated $800.
The total cost of the mural work will be around $1,200 — about $900 for paint and an anti-graffiti clear coat, which costs around $150 a gallon, Moon said. Estimating the artist’s time is tricky. Conceptualizing the design can be a long process.
If the murals multiply, Chavez said, the city could block the alley from cars and let businesses set up bistro tables, string lights and create a space for people to enjoy evenings together.
Passersby have been excited about the project throughout, he said.
“People stop and talk to us all the time, they’re so happy we’re beautifying the alley. … Even when it was just the mock-up, the base layers, people were like, ‘I love it!’ and I’m like, ‘Thank you, I’m not finished yet,’” Chavez said.
A woman walked down the alley and shouted up at Moon where he stood on the ladder with his paintbrush on the wall.
“I wish you’d come paint my building!” she said.
To learn about the Marrow Collective, see marrowcollective.com. For Chavez’s personal portfolio and contact information, go to adrianchavez.com.