Let us paint you a picture — Austin has dozens of local artists who paint on the streets, making the average stroll around town a trip to the museum. When in Austin, art can be readily seen on telephone poles, on buildings, in view of the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge, and on the practice wall behind Emo’s.
So let’s step out onto the streets, where art imitates life, to spot some of these local artists.
Angry Cloud | @theangrycloud
- If you’ve spotted an moody-looking cloud staring back at you from an electrical box or telephone pole, you’ve likely stumbled on a bonafide Angry Cloud. Made by an anonymous New York City transplant, each of Angry Cloud‘s pieces are unique and upcycled from existing materials.
Daniel Johnston | @danieljohnstonofficial
- Though Daniel passed away at the age of 58 in 2019, his whimsical outlook, music, and artwork has remained a symbol of Austin’s identity. His iconic “Hi, How Are You?” mural, also known as “Jeremiah the Innocent”, was commissioned for the Sound Exchange in 1993. An homage to the artist on the side of the Contemporary Austin was not painted by Daniel himself, but it features artwork pulled directly from his sketchbooks.
Drib and Fish | @this_bird_ and @the_main_fish
- These two street artists often paint together, though they each have their own signature style. Fish is best known for his signature character, Taco the pink octopus, which peeks above ledges and on street signs. Meanwhile, Drib is known for painting bored-looking birds accompanied by uplifting sayings like “follow your art.”
Federico Archuleta | @el_federico
- Peppered throughout East Austin and beyond, Federico Archuleta’s eye-catching stencil pieces are reminiscent of his experiences of growing up in El Paso. Among his most famous pieces are the “‘Til Death Do Us Part” mural on 7th and Waller Streets, and many “Virgen de Guadalupes” works, like the one that used to live on the front of Tesoros Trading Company on South Congress.
Goodluck Buddha | @goodluckbuddha
- Raise your hand if you’re a non-native who has ever felt personally victimized by Goodluck Buddha’s stencil pieces begging people not to move to Austin. ✋ Another anonymous artist, Goodluck Buddha’s work contains phrases like “Austin, TX, is at capacity,” “Get out while you still can,” and “Today is your lucky day.” This artist is committed to his mission of keeping Austin uncrowded, often traveling to Los Angeles to put up his work.
NIZ | @elenizze
- Famous for her Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood mural on the side of More Home Slice Pizza on South Congress, NIZ excels when it comes to portrait work. For other examples of her art, look to the colorful artwork on Amy’s Ice Creams on South Congress or catch a portrait of Nelda Wells Spears at the Travis County Tax office.
Rex Hamilton | @rexhamiltonart
- Rex Hamilton’s artwork is all over high-visibility areas in Austin — Rex is responsible for “Be Well,” which adorns the North Lamar and 3rd Street underpass; “Bloom” inside the Moody Center, and flowery displays in the Seaholm District. You may also see him painting local musicians, such as Mike Melinoe.
Sloke One | @slokeone
- One of the forefathers of Austin street art, Sloke One has been “getting up” — the industry term for doing graffiti — since the early 1990s. Sloke’s work is incredibly diverse, ranging from commercial work (see his Torchy’s mural), to fine art, to hidden traditional graffiti that you may never see.
Truth | @mikejohnstonartist
- Mike Johnston’s cartoony work typically inlcudes the word “truth,” right next to a gigantic slice of pizza or astronaut. Mike is the man behind Lucky Robot’s newest paint job, wheatpaste murals of Dolly Parton, and Slaughter’s Alamo Drafthouse mural alonsgside fellow artist Lucas Aoki.
Is your favorite street artist not on the list? Let us know how to spot them.
