Street art isn't a rare occurrence in Dallas, whether it's a legitimate artwork commissioned by a business or an unsolicited art project from someone with a contraband spray can. Many of those commissioned works celebrate local music figures from Erykah Badu to Leon Bridges. A mural project in Deep Ellum, Blues Alley, honors Dallas' blues gods — from the Vaughan brothers and Blind Lemon Jefferson.
Mural artist Adrian Torres went above and beyond the call of street art with his latest mural: a massive, colorful tribute to Taylor Swift, Rihanna and Billie Eilish on a wall facing a parking lot at 2202 Elm Street.
Torres says the mural is part of the 42 Murals project that gives local artists a public space to showcase their talent and creativity.
"I wanted to paint something to inspire the young generation with artists they admire," Torres says. "Also, I wanted to challenge myself by doing big portraits on a wall for the first time. People know me mostly for my portraits, but I never painted it on a wall before."
Torres, who hails from Spain, says it took him a week to complete the 15-foot-tall mural on Elm Street and that he had a scissor lift to help reach the singers' hairlines.
The feedback from passersby never stopped as soon as he started work on the mural, Torres says.
"While working there, many people talked to me and the feedback was great," Torres says. "Everyone is loving it so far."
Torres has painted his brightly colored portrait murals all over the world. His mural "Deep Ellumphants" is on Main Street. The mural won Torres the Catalyst Award in the 42 Murals: Deep Ellum 2015 Edition.
"The purpose of my art is to make people feel good and happier," Torres says. "When you paint a mural, you can reach many people and that is great."
