Ten Must See Murals-in-Progress at Crush Walls

Crush returns to Denver for its tenth year. Here are five of the murals we're most excited to see finished.

September 6, 2019

Image: Cromaj begins to fill in her outline for a collaborative wall behind Erico Motorsports.

Cromaj begins to fill in her outline for a collaborative wall behind Erico Motorsports. Lauren Antonoff

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The tenth Crush Walls is in full swing in and around the River North Art District. The festival began on Labor Day weekend and wraps up on Sunday, September 8. Nearly ninety new murals are going up this week throughout the neighborhood, including some on Larimer Street, in alleyways and under bypasses — most by Denver artists.

Part of the fun of Crush is seeing works in progress, and here are five pieces we're excited to watch artists complete over the weekend.

click to enlarge

Zehb begins part of a collaborative wall with a portrait of a tribal elder named Ruth.

Lauren Antonoff

Chromaj, Zehb and Plezo
Larimer Street alley at 29th Street
While the official Crush map mentions only the collaboration between Zehb and Plezo on this wall behind Erico Motorsports, it's actually a collaborative effort between multiple artists. Zehb and Chromaj bookend the wall by paying tribute to elders and strong women.

click to enlarge

Tribal Murals takes over the back wall of 10 Barrel Brewing Company, facing 26th Street.

Lauren Antonoff

Tribal Murals
Larimer Street alley and 26th Street
Facing 26th Street in the Larimer Street alley is a tribute to sacred land, rituals and geometry. Tribal Murals is filling the entire wall with indigenous imagery, color and composition.

click to enlarge

We Were Wild covers the back of the Matchbox with a piece that includes paint and wheat paste.

Lauren Antonoff

We Were Wild
Alley behind Matthew Morris Salon and Skincare
2644 Walnut Street
The creation of this colorful mural has been a joy to watch evolve behind Matthew Morris Salon and Skincare. After creating an outline of undulating waves, We Were Wild has since filled in aqua blues, greens, oranges and purples, and added wheat pasted columns with architectural imagery that contrasts the curving, rising and falling patterns.

click to enlarge

Ashley Joon poses in front of her wall on the back of Lustre Pearl.

Lauren Antonoff

Ashley Joon
Lustre Pearl
1315 26th Street
Surrounded by her smaller canvas pieces, Ashley Joon keeps herself grounded in her style for this brush-painted floral wall behind Lustre Pearl — a piece that complements the restaurant's patio.

click to enlarge

Luis Valle, originally from Nicaragua, is painting this work behind Dateline Gallery.

Lauren Antonoff

Luis Valle
Alley Behind Dateline Gallery
3004 Larimer Street
Nicaraguan artist Luis Valle's contribution — a striking image of a mother and child contrasting the black wall its painted on — looks close to finished. This building will also be graced by a new work by Sara Molano.

Crush Walls continues through Sunday, September 8, throughout the River North Art District. Events and more information on artists and walls can be found at crushwalls.org.

Let us know about your favorite piece at [email protected].

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