Rip Cronk: Fact, Fiction, Illusion
New mural in the works on the side of Squirrels Tavern...
Thanks to a tip from Visit Corvallis, we got to have a pretty cool conversation with Rip Cronk, who was busy at work painting a new mural on the side of Squirrels Tavern downtown today.
(Photos: Brian Lindensmith/The Corvallis Inquirer)
The mural is still taking shape, and Cronk said he’ll be working on it for “the next few weeks.”
Cronk is best known for his murals in Venice Beach, California, where he began painting in 1979. His work became closely associated with the visual identity of Venice, including large-scale pieces such as Venice on the Half Shell, Venice Reconstituted, and a very well-known Jim Morrison mural.
Cronk has lived in Benton County for more than a decade now and remains active in our arts community, although he said he “still travels down to Venice Beach to remove graffiti” from time to time.
In 2025, the Philomath Museum featured his work alongside Oregon artist George D. Green in the exhibition Abstract Illusionism: Rip Cronk & George D. Green.
Cronk’s work has been exhibited in museums and galleries around the world. Both Rip Cronk and George D. Green use “techniques of illusion in their artwork to force viewers to consider the world a little differently.”
Maybe it’s fitting on the side of Squirrels. A few too many there, and things can look a bit different when you walk out as well.
Cronk isn’t Banksy. He’ll talk to you. And answer questions. He has lived and worked in different countries. He has taken that path in life that is less traveled. You can tell just by talking to him that he has war stories.
Why write about them so you can read them here? He’ll be there… in person… creating his art over the next few weeks. Go downtown and check it out.
Art is an expression, like writing. Some people like certain pieces, and others don’t. It’s interpreted by the viewer. It’s fact, it’s fiction, and it’s an illusion. It forces you to think outside the box.
Either way… we think it rips.
This article was written by Brian Lindensmith, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com
P.S. If you want a real read about street art. Check out this article Reuters did on Banksy in March.
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