Skye Walker is like, right now, painting a new mural in the alley between Fourth and Fifth streets off Madison Avenue on this Sunday. It’s his third day of work on the large format piece, and he said, “I hope to finish it today, at least that’s the plan.”
We found Walker while he was working on the mural. He said The Plaza commissioned the piece, which has a fun mix of PNW scenery.
(Photo: Courtesy Photo/The Corvallis Inquirer)
The Plaza has recently added a plethora of new artist studios on the lower level. The new mural extends that creativity outside, giving us another reason to explore the location. We forgot to ask him the name of this new mural, oops, but right now we are just going to go with “Beaver Eats Birdies”.
(Photo: Skye Walker Art, The Plaza Alley/The Corvallis Inquirer)
Walker’s work should already be familiar to people who spend time downtown. In 2017, he painted “Maya,” the large mural on the side of Taco Vino, which depicts a woman whose flowing hair becomes plants, vines, and the sea. The mural measures about 50 feet wide by 25 feet tall and was painted with spray paint on stucco.
(Photo: Skyewalkerart.com)
“Maya” also carries a personal connection to Walker. In an October 7th post marking four years since the death of his father, Morris Walker, the artist shared a photo from when he painted it. The Taco Vino piece, he later recalled, became his father’s favorite.
“Love transcends time,” Walker wrote. “Thank you for everything dad.”
In a 2022 interview with Shoutout SoCal, Walker recalled writing to Garfield creator Jim Davis when he was 9, sending along some of his own cartoons. Davis sent him a reply on Garfield letterhead, encouraging him to keep going. Walker said he then told his mother he would be an artist for the rest of his life.
He went on to attend OSU on a four-year art scholarship earned through the university’s JumpstART precollege arts program. It seems that nature remains a central theme to his work, along with the idea that art can become part of a neighborhood’s life.
“These murals can instill a sense of pride in the community,” Walker wrote.
Love transcends time… but so does art… and so does the love put into each piece. Hopefully, this new piece downtown adds a bit of both.
You can find out more about Skye Walker art at: www.skyewalkerart.com. Or check out his mural in real life between Fourth and Fifth street off of Madison Avenue.
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
More recent stories:
→ Donate
We’ll still keep it ad-free and paywall-free even if you don’t. 100% of donations go to expanding local reporting, giving back to community causes, and minor operating expenses. Read more about our values and mission here.
Do you have a story for The Inquirer? Email: editor@corvallisnow.com
