Sights for Sore Eyes

Graffiti Art Has a Place Here

Words & Photos by Eric Morales

Downtown Austin has, in certain areas, put on its own kind of mask during this pandemic. Several businesses on temporary shut down have boarded up their windows, creating the perfect canvas for beautiful, yet temporary, murals.

There is art that lives only within the walls of galleries, museums or in private collections. One must pay the price of admission, or the price of ownership, to enjoy these kinds of works. On the other hand, there is art that is for everyone: a gift to the passerby. The people in the city of Austin seem to magically find a way to make art out of anything and everything. In fact, creating art out of an eyesore seems like the most natural thing for to do.

Shayne Tuthill is just one of several artists who took it upon himself to make beauty out of an otherwise dreary cityscape. Shayne’s work is on the boards that protect the entryway and windows to Easy Tiger Bake Shop and Beer Garden.

“I just did it,” says Shayne. “It’s one of those things: better to beg forgiveness.”

Still, like most of the graffiti artists out there, the motivation is pure. “It’s depressing looking up at bare pieces of plywood,” Shayne explains. “I saw an opportunity to enlighten minds and give people something to look at. And, I’m not the only person who saw that. There’s tons of other conscious people who saw the same thing.”

“[Graffiti art] provokes thought or can give an ‘aha moment.’” Shayne smiles when talking about the value of graffiti art. Perhaps, in this case, that ‘aha moment’ is realizing that even during these challenging times, just as there are people working to protect life, there are people who are working to make sure that life is full of beauty for people to see and experience. This beauty is just a simple reminder that we’re still here.

Shayne, however, isn’t just a graffiti artist. He also takes on occasional commissioned mural work. Another plus is that Shayne is able to share his passion with his daughter, who helped him with a commission back in California. “She did the whole background. I took a spray bottle and just doused the wall with water and had her go to town with some interior acrylic paint. We layered it together.” Other highlights for Shayne include creating a live painting for RZA a couple of years back.

Shayne does have a few secret pieces that won’t be released until later this year. So, keep an eye out for an art show within the next few months, once we allow time and space for the people of Austin to safely come together to celebrate the art again.

Did You Know?

The HOPE Outdoor Gallery was a safe space for graffiti artists in Austin for almost a decade. It closed in 2019, and their plans are to relocate across from the Austin airport. Visit hopeoutdoorgallery.com for more info.