Downtown Walnut Creek is about to get a lot more colorful.
For two weeks this July, a group of accomplished Bay Area artists will turn a stretch of North Broadway into a live public-art studio, painting four new large-scale murals in full view of the public.
The Walnut Creek Mural Program is scheduled for July 1 through July 15 at 1419 N Broadway, where passersby will be able to watch the artworks take shape day by day. The initiative is being produced by ABG Art Group in partnership with the City of Walnut Creek, Walnut Creek Downtown, property stakeholders and local supporters.
Rather than unveiling finished artwork behind closed doors, the project will give downtown visitors a rare chance to see the full process — from blank walls and early outlines to the final, colorful murals.
The artist lineup includes Zoë Adia Boston, Steve Anderson, Alexandra Underwood, Joey Rose, Elliot Trent and Xiou Rui. The six artists will work across four mural projects, each bringing a different visual approach and perspective to the growing collection of public art downtown.
One wall is expected to feature an interpretation of local native flora, bringing color and plant life to what is currently a fairly plain parking-lot-facing wall.
Another project will transform a two-sided breezeway (that little passthrough in the center of town) into an immersive walk through nature, with local plants and animals rendered in a style inspired by tattoo art.
A third mural will explore the idea of cultural translation and shared beauty, blending traditional Chinese-inspired pattern work with Western artistic references. The final work is planned as a contemporary, playful take on a traditional window view, imagining a Walnut Creek hills scene.
The murals are being created as part of a broader push to bring more public art to Walnut Creek’s streetscape. The city’s mural program was established to add more diverse artists, styles and concepts to public-facing spaces around town, while helping commercial property owners turn blank walls into something a bit more unique and beautiful.
It is also a notable moment for downtown Walnut Creek, where outdoor art has increasingly become part of the experience alongside restaurants, shopping, events, painted pianos and the Lesher Center for the Arts.
Head to 1419 N Broadway between July 1 and July 15, and you can catch the artists at work while the transformation is still happening.
