Greetings from Chicago Mural with RV Honeybear

Greetings from Chicago. This was our first mural (officially on the road) and it turned out to be one of our most popular murals to date. We did some hunting for walls around Logan Square and landed on this location with the help of Galerie F and local artist Amuse126. When we first painted there, nothing else was surrounding our mural. However, the neighborhood is now completely covered with other murals & street art. It’s been heartwarming to see the spread of more and more art each time we come back. Our Greetings from Chicago mural eventually ended up on the Chicago Wikipedia page on television and in magazines.

We created this mural in May of 2015. During the painting, we quickly learned how extreme the Chicago weather can get. Therefore, we worked odd hours overnight to get this mural done to avoid the rain and wind. We slept in our RV in the lot next to the mural to guard the scaffolding all week. As a result, we really got a sense of the neighborhood from all the characters who would pass by and chat with us. Sleeping under that train tracks was not ideal with how loud it got but we end up always adapting to our environment due to our nomadic lifestyle.

We decided to go with a baby blue background that matched a color we had from Montana Cans. In addition, the baby blue was a tribute to the Chicago flag colors. At the time, we didn’t conciously think about scaling our artwork to be used optimally inprints and photographs. However, we got lucky that this one worked out. In addition, we didn’t expect that this mural would last too long since they mentioned that the lot next door was going to get developed. For the time being, it was still very visibile from far down N Milwaukee Ave. without any obstructions.

We had the chance to interact with so many locals in the community during the painting. It’s one of our favorite parts about painting public art. Our murals have mass appeal as it can relate to people both as a sign as well as relatable imagery. Sometimes, it may even cause too much attention! For example, we heard a loud crashing sound one day during painting. It turned out that someone was watching us paint while driving and ended up rear ending someone. Thankfully, everyone was okay so it makes for a great story to tell.

Coming from a background in graffiti & street art, the temporary nature of the art form usually results in a focus of speed to get things done quickly. However, it’s been refreshing to be able to spend more time at these walls and really focus on the details. Having our RV (Honeybear) as our home just steps away certainly helps. We cook most of our meals so we rarely have to break down for lunch. In addition, we have a generator on board for any electric needs as well. Honestly, it’s been the mural painters dream setup that we just happened to stumble upon.

The Dickies jumpsuit that Victor’s wearing in the image above has been his uniform since 2014 when it comes to painting the Greetings Tour murals. It’s certainly been through a lot and definitely needs to be included in an exhibit one day. Our audience during the community mural included CTA workers (from the tracks) as well as local news stations. Nothing makes us happier than interacting with the locals and bringing a smile to their face.

Looking back, it’s amazing to see how far our project has come since the Greetings from Chicago mural. We really owe it to this first mural for jumpstarting our mission and providing so much opportunity. Special thanks to all who have left reviews on this mural on Google and Yelp. We never thought that we would be getting mural reviews on these platforms. To this day, whenever we pass through Chicago, we’re sure to always check in on the mural and touch it up when needed. Thank you Chicago for all the love over the years!

“We were very excited to hear that Greetings Tour was planning a mural in Chicago and even more excited when they asked us to help locate the ideal wall for this project! Prior to its installation, Greetings Tour asked my opinion on whether it should read “Chicago” or “Logan Square”. We unanimously agreed that far more people would appreciate and make this a destination if the mural read “Chicago”. This beautiful mural captures many of the elements that make up Chicago. Since its installation, “Greetings From Chicago” has easily become the most popular and most photographed mural in the city! On any given day, you can find fans lined up to shoot their wedding, modeling or graduation photos. The mural attracts people from across Chicagoland and statewide, as well as tourists from all corners of the globe.”

— Billy Craven / Founder of Galerie F

Press:

CBS Chicago - New Logan Square Mural Sends “Greetings From” Chicago

Time Out Chicago - You need a picture of this awesome new Chicago mural

Silly America - Greetings from Chicago Mural in Logan Square

Letter Guide:

C - Deep Dish Pizza & Chicago Style Hotdog

H - Gold Coast / Downtown Chicago Skyline

I - Chicago Flag & Illinois Centennial Monument in Logan Square

C - Abstract artwork by Amuse126 depicting the extremes of Chicago weather

A - Chicago Professional Sports Teams (Cubs, Bears, White Sox, Blackhawks)

G - Muddy Waters (Jazz tribute) & Ferris Bueller's Day Off Water Tower