Menu
I was commissioned for this project after having worked with Maya on the ‘Mayan God’s’ oil painting. They really liked my work and had given me the opportunity to work on another project with them, only at a different venue. I was commissioned to design and paint this set of murals in 2014 for Mayita (a Mexican-fusion restaurant in Shanghai, China), which I began working on earlier in the year before Mayita opened for business.
I was inspired by the subject matter that I had used for the previous project and wanted to continue to explore the imagery of Mayan stone carvings, which also helped to create a consistency between the aesthetics of the two venues.
The first mural that I completed (5 total in the entire venue) set the stage for the rest of the murals, especially with the use of Mayan stone carvings as the main focus for the imagery of each composition.
1) This mural is toward the back of the restaurant but in the center of the room, so it could be considered the main work, especially with it being situated at the window with the view of the Shanghai skyline in the distance.
Knowing this, I wanted to make this piece the most eye-catching. I do this with the imagery that I chose and how the pyramid appears to illuminate with the dominate faces in the distance.
2) I started with a few different sketches that I created digitally. After presenting these to the owner, the sketch on the right was the one that was chosen. The colors in this piece fit with the color scheme of the venue and is also bright in nature, using a vibrant triadic color scheme.
This is a set of murals that are identical with spacing, arrangement, and aesthetics. I chose to make these two walls identical to remain symmetrical, especially with them being on both sides of an entrance.
1) Because I chose to make both of these walls identical, I wanted to create something a bit more symmetrical and pattern-based. This also shows both consistency and contrast to the other murals in the venue. I used carvings I had researched for the ‘Mayan Gods’ oil painting (so some of the imagery in this design is very similar to some of the elements in that large painting).
2) Again, I utilize very simple colors and values for these two works. They are meant to complement the other dominate works throughout the restaurant while adding depth as well.
This composition was also the other dominate mural in the venue. This mural can be viewed when you enter the restaurant and from the outside patio.
1) With this mural’s position over the bar area, and with it being the largest work in the restaurant, I wanted to include a strong amount of movement. Also inspired by Mayan stone carvings, I create a work with a face in the middle surrounded by a variation of moving textures and values.
2) I also chose to keep this piece mostly monochromatic, using the Mayan turquoise color as the main color scheme. I include a few redish-orange decorative patterns and elements to add accents to complement the range of bluish-greens.
This is the final composition in the set of murals I completed for Mayita.
1) This painting was not a part of the original plan but was added as the other murals were completed. This wall at the back of the venue felt empty so the owner asked if I could finish the restaurant with this last mural. I created this work similar to the first mural (I actually used some of the imagery of the sketches I created for the first mural to create the composition for this one).
2) Because this mural is in the same area as the first mural, I wanted to create a design that is decorative but not dominate. This is why I chose to use a mostly anlogous colors scheme (a range of yellows and greens). Doing so allows me to keep this piece harmonious with the rest while allowing the other mural (first mural) to stand out.
I didn’t get a chance to record every part of the process for these murals, but I was able to toward the end of the project. Because this entire project required that I paint at the venue, I wasn’t able to work on it as consistently as I wanted to. Because of this, I worked on the first half of the project toward the beginning of 2014 (Jan. and Feb.) and the second half toward the end of the year (Oct. and Nov.).
The first half of the project was smooth because the restaurant was being renovated and I was on vacation, so I could set my own schedule to work. However, the second half required me to 1) work around my own schedule as a full time teacher and 2) only work during the early morning because of the restaurant’s soft opening. This required me to work every Saturday, early in the morning (roughly 2am to 10am) for around a month. It was definitely an experience doing this but as an artist I need to complete the work when I have the chance. Doing this gave me the opportunity to watch the sunrise over the Shanghai tower several times.
Be sure to subscribe to the email newsletter to keep up with my art projects, tutorials, and art experimentations.
