Downtown Olympia Murals Program
Our Downtown Mural Program connects artists with public funds to install their work in downtown Olympia.
About the mural program:
The ongoing goals of this program are to:
Create paid opportunities for established and emerging artists to share and develop their work
Provide mentorship and support during the development process
Create new community partnerships in downtown
Increase access to engaging and unique public art and showcase our local artistic talent
Encourage creative activity throughout our community
Our Mural Cohorts add vibrancy and beauty to our downtown community.
A little history - The Olympia Artspace Alliance (OAA) and the City of Olympia Parking and Business Improvement Area (PBIA) collaborated in 2023 to fund the concept, design, and installment of three murals by outstanding local artists in Downtown Olympia. Our 2023 mural cohort artists are Elisa del Giudice (You Are Not Alone, Plum Street YMCA), Cameron Dunn (Native Plants of Washington State, Community Print Building) and Fern Tallos (Thomas Architecture Studio).
The 2023 project also selected a fine artist team to identify and restore more than a dozen damaged murals in the downtown core. Our 2023 restoration team were incredible artists Austin Davis and Savannah Renauldi.
In 2024 we awarded two mural projects and local artists Rick Perry (artist name P. Calavara) and Ayda Rose added their two incredible murals to our downtown.
Slideshow prepared by Erika Naficy of Third Hand Artist Support for our Mural Celebration Artist Mingle in October 2023.
2024 Downtown Mural Cohort
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Rick Perry
Rick Perry is a local Olympia artist, cartoonist, educator, and longtime resident of Olympia. He has contributed to two past Olympia Artspace Alliance Storefronts installations. His cartoon selfie wall was painted in the parking lot on the corner of Washington and State street this past fall. From his application:
“My immediate thought was a bunch of tremendous cartoon animals playing instruments, as they do. The reality, though, is that I will happily change my vision and design to suit the space and the desire of the building's residents. Mice riding a giant seagull over the moon? Sure! A dragon drinking coffee with aliens amidst sentient mushrooms? Why not! Happy trees living it up? Let's do it!”
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Ayda Rose
Ayda Rose, has been honing her skills in both digital and traditional mediums for the past several years. Originally an illustrator, Ayda blended her digital design skills with her love of painting, bringing a unique graphic style to her large scale paintings and murals.
Her process incorporates digital experimentation with dynamic compositions and the design of vibrant color palettes. Her artwork often features elements of nature, modern and ancient culture, and symbolism with an aesthetic influenced by traditional Japanese art, tattoos, street art and graphic design.
2023 Downtown Mural Cohort
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Elisa Del Giudice
Elisa Del Giudice—a master of op-art, hand-drawn lettering, and graphic design. She lends her skillful touch to workplaces, small businesses, residences, and more. Her creations aren't just designs but resonating stories that breathe life into brands and spaces.
“At the core of my work lies a human-centered approach, seamlessly translating ideas into impactful visual solutions. With this mindset, my approach is anything but ordinary, ensuring that every project becomes an inspired reflection of your unique vision,” she said.
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Fern Tallos
Fern Tallos is a visual artist and herbalist based in Olympia, Washington. Her paintings are heavily influenced by the plant kingdom and the natural world. She mostly creates public murals and acrylic paintings on canvas.
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Cameron Dunn
Cameron is a designer and community science advocate, most recently working as a coordinator with Native Plant Salvage Foundation. His current preferred medium is stained glass.