Arts and Culture
Must-See Murals in Tempe, Arizona
September 27, 2022
Your guide to Tempe’s vibrant collection of murals and artists.
We seek out art for different reasons, to inspire us, to make us laugh, to give us a new perspective, or just to help us appreciate the beauty that exists all around us. Tempe is a city that showcases the arts, from live theatre to concerts to museum exhibitions. It’s also a place where art shows up in unexpected places. Check out the City of Tempe’s public art collection and you’ll be amazed at the creativity all around the city.
Discover murals all over the city and get to know the talented Arizona local artists behind each masterpiece. You will find murals around every corner in Tempe, often tucked away in neighborhoods, so a bike or car ride is the best way to see all of them.
“Get Together Tempe” by Morgan Delaney (@____morganic)
Location: Northeast corner of McClintock and University drives
We love getting together in Tempe and we especially love getting together in front of this amazing mural. This piece of art is located on the west wall of Social Hall, a local favorite for cocktails and American and Southwestern fare.
We chatted with the Social Hall team to discuss how the mural came about. “The mural was designed for us by AWE Collective, a marketing company based in Tempe. We presented the design to Morgan [Delaney], as she was also local and worked at Four Peaks in Tempe, and she agreed to take on the project. The whole thing took about two weeks to complete. It involved me on a 25-foot scissor lift on my tip-toes taping off for the painters, which I will never forget,” says Mike Kenney, Owner/Operator of Social Hall. “The purpose for the mural was to turn a big ugly wall into something nice to look at. A lot of people told us we needed a sign out front so that people would know we existed, because we are really hidden from the street,” Kenney continues. “The problem I had with that was, okay let’s say we put up a Social Hall sign, well we still have an ugly wall. I don’t want to go to a place called Social Hall with a big blank wall out front. So instead, we felt that turning it into a big piece of artwork would be more appreciated by the community and could still serve the purpose of letting people know we exist.” Well Mike, we LOVE it and can’t tell you enough how much we’re obsessed with it.
Before heading to happy hour, brunch or a fun night out, catch yourself setting up your Insta-moment at “Get Together Tempe”.
“Our Tempe” by Kyllan Maney (@kyllanmaney)
Location: Southwest corner Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway
The Tempe Tourism Office and Downtown Tempe Authority (DTA) partnered together to create a new public artwork in downtown: large letters that spell out TEMPE. This new Tempe landmark and work of art, titled Our Tempe, is located at Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway, next to the historic Hayden House.
Inspired by similar signs in other cities, Our Tempe is intended to be a destination for visitors and residents alike and a popular photo spot. Kyllan Maney, a local artist and educator, painted a colorful design on the letters, symbolizing people from all walks of life converging in Tempe.
According to Julie Kent, Director of Placemaking for DTA, “For years we had been trying to find a space to have a TEMPE sign. When we moved our office to Hayden House we knew that having it in front of an iconic building was the perfect spot. We are thankful to Tempe Tourism for helping to make this possible!”
Public art can be found in unexpected places throughout the city. Some of the most recognizable works include artist-designed electrical boxes and newspaper racks in Downtown Tempe, sculptures at Valley Metro Rail stops and neighborhood murals.
Michael Martin from the Tempe Tourism Office wanted to add to the public art landscape. He said, “I saw city signs that naturally became photo spots in other cities and I really wanted to have one in Tempe. The Tempe Tourism Office is thrilled to be able to support an art project in Tempe which will act as a point of pride for the community.” The letters were installed by Merestone, a local event production company.
The tourism office is producing a video showing this new work of art along with an interview with the artist. There will be a QR code on the base of the sign that will link to the video.
“Meet Me at Daley Park” by Jake Early (@jakeearly)
Location: On College Avenue, between Broadway Road and Apache Boulevard
Painted in 2018, Jake Early’s tribute to Tempe, “Meet Me at Daley Park,” showcases the city’s history at 400 feet. When Early was designing this mural, he connected with the neighborhood adjacent to the park, which inspired the name of the mural. He really wanted to “create a digital history [timeline] of this neighborhood, at that time of the mural to roughly 100 years ago.” A notable part of the mural is the Arizona flag bookended by Pecan trees which would have been in the area. “Roughly 100 years ago, Arizona had just come into statehood, so my placement of the Arizona flag is a nod to that,” says Early. He chuckles as he describes the history and how then “students were riding bikes and listening to music on wired earbuds, and now they’re listening on [Airpods].” Because the piece is so big and features many vignettes, the photo opportunities are endless! He painted this mural in 12 weeks after a couple of delays, including breaking his arm just nine days into the project! Fun fact: it was the City of Tempe’s second public mural commission.
“Amazed Baby” by Lucretia Torva
Location: Yucca Taproom, 29 W. Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ 85282
Amazed Baby is one of the many featured murals in Danelle Plaza. It’s located on a vacant building that was destined for tear down. When approached by the committee commissioning the artists, they asked Lucretia if she could paint a street view of Mill Avenue. But, she decided to propose this piece with a baby, and they LOVED it. She was thrilled because she could combine her love of pop art and comic art, which is translated in this piece. It’s also a great excuse to use bright colors and random words, like “WOW!”
You’ll find some of her work throughout neighboring cities, like “Sharing Happiness” in Mesa. She painted a utility box in Tempe on the northeast corner of Rio Salado Pkwy. Her work is also featured on Tempe Public Library cards.
Most notably, she was the commissioned artist who worked with Gina Ribaudo to paint the portraits that makeup Tempe Marketplace’s Rock Legends. Her most photographed legend is Mexican American musician Selena Quintanilla-Perez.
She commends Tempe Marketplace’s foresight for having her and Gina Ribaudo paint the musicians’ portraits on canvas so they can be moved as retail occupancy changes.
“AMERICA. AMERICAN. AMERICANS.” by Jake Early (@jakeearly)
Location: Mill Avenue between 13th Street and Broadway, across from Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital
Jake Early crossed paths with the couple who owns the home owning the wall where the mural is located. They weren’t a fan of the previous mural and wanted something more to their liking. When they reached out to Early to create their mural, they allowed his creative freedom, but requested that he made it “provocative.” Jake challenged himself with concepts and his idea hit to him with the release of a photo from the White House. Early said, ”it was a photo of a group of 40 men in suits and woman sitting with her feet up on the couch… in the Oval Office.” He thought to himself, “my friends and family don’t look like this.” So, he wanted to create a mural that spoke. This mural was completed in just four days! (INSANE – those portraits are amazing!) You’ll see three diverse individuals: his bi-racial nephew, his friend who is a Native American woman born in Arizona and his Indian American friend who was born in Los Angeles. He loves this mural and hopes you’ll continue to capture photos of it and tag him on Instagram @jakeearly.
Jake Early just unveiled his latest mural at Broadmor Elementary School that he’d love for you to check out as well!
“Don’t Wake the Dreamer” by Lauren Lee (@mslaurenlee)
Location: Hardy Drive and 5th Street, next to Jaycee Park
The artist of this piece, Lauren Lee, is sought out by businesses owners and city entities alike for incredible mural pieces of various sizes. “Don’t Wake the Dreamer” is a 153-foot-long mural where you’ll find a sweet trend of beautiful birds and whimsical pink blooms amongst a beautiful Dreamer. What’s lovely about this is how many ways you can capture it. You can capture its beauty with a panoramic photo or frame your shot by the pink blooms, the Dreamer or the birds. The choice is yours. We recommend taking Hardy north from University Drive to see it on your right-hand side. Fun fact: this piece was the City of Tempe’s first public mural commission.
“Dreams on Pause” by Clyde Thompson
Clyde Thompson explains that Dreams on Pause was painted during the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Though everyone was in a panic, I wanted to paint something that suggested that these times are an opportunity to reflect and reset,” Thompson shares. Describing the mural, “I painted this man laid out in a relaxed state using his basketball as a pillow. You’ll see an arrow shot through the basketball, signifying his love for the game. He had been grinding for a long time to achieve his dream of being a professional basketball player. However, now he gets an opportunity to sit back and smell the flowers.” That’s a message we can all understand right now. The more you know. You’ll see this 65’ x 20’ mural best when you drive east along Southern Avenue. It’s on the south side of the road near the car wash west of Mill Avenue.
“Rangoli Sunrise” by Kyllan Maney
Location: The Dhaba, 1827 E. Apache Blvd., Tempe, AZ 85281
Her “Rangoli Sunrise” mural is located at The Dhaba, an excellent restaurant serving incredible Indian food. The owner, Raveen Arora, hired Maney to paint Rangolis near the restaurant’s entrance, and he also found funding for the beautiful mural on the west exterior wall of the building. He even gave her a book about Rangolis so she could find a design and meaning that she thought would resonate. Maney said the base of the Rangoli she chose means truth and knowledge.
At 20’ by 60’, it was Maney’s biggest mural to date, and she enjoyed the challenge of painting such a large and intricate piece of work.
This New School for the Arts teacher has a unique and easily recognizable signature style. She was commissioned to paint the Big Chair in Downtown Tempe, and you’ll also see one of her first pieces in Danelle Plaza.
The Tempest Murals by Erik Rennick & Paige Reesor (@paige.reesor.art)
Location: The Tempest Hotel, on University Drive between Dorsey Lane and McClintock Drive
With its last round of renovations, The Tempest Hotel Tempe at ASU set out to add additional personality to the property with the addition of two murals. Local artist Erik Rennick partnered with the owners of The Tempest for concept that was “so Arizona” and a welcome piece as guests enter the lobby. We love catching all the little details you can find in the mural piece (like native Arizona animals and the iconic Hole in the Rock trail). Fast forward, and local artist Paige Reesor added a vibey city tribute that can be found on the patio. In the quest to incorporated iconic Tempe visuals, she paired fiery reds and the soothing cyans to depict the Mill Avenue Bridge, “A” Mountain and palm trees under the Tempe marquee in the hotel’s signature font.
“Woman in a Dream” by Clyde Thompson (@clyde_graffitiartist)
Location: Mill Avenue and 9th Street, on the back side of University Inn & Suites
Clyde Thompson has become known for producing large scale murals featuring dreamy women and using shades of teal blue. This piece is the first of his “Woman in a Dream” series (check out more of the series here). We chatted with Clyde and got the scoop on this beautiful piece. “That was my first 2 story mural. It had caused a little trouble since it was done without permission. However, the owner of the University Inn liked it enough to keep it, and also hired me to paint a mural for one of his restaurants, which is how I began doing commissioned murals and pursuing art as a career.” He said, “Woman in a Dream” was “painted in one day, which is why it may come off as unfinished.” We think it’s incredible. Clyde mentioned he does do a lot of commissioned work, which you can see on his website. He also has several pieces located at the Danelle Plaza at Mill Avenue and Southern avenues.
“Woman in a Dream III” by Clyde Thompson
Location: 1700 S. College Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281
Woman in a Dream III was Clyde Thompson’s first commissioned Woman in a Dream mural. The previous two had been street art installations. Thompson was “on a mission” to show his hometown city the potential of murals. Dream III was the first mural he spent more than one day on, showcasing how impactful large-scale artwork can be. Thompson says, “my ultimate goal is to get these murals up to 10 stories tall.” We’re rooting for you, Clyde! Woman in a Dream III was completed in 2017 on the Montage Apartments, painted with retro vibrant colors that perfectly match Thompson’s color scheme.
“Valley Rockstar Memorial” by Gina Ribaudo
Location: 1992 E. Richards Drive, Tempe, AZ 85283
Gina Ribaudo created the Valley Rockstar Memorial in Tempe in the summer of 2020. This mural was commissioned by the homeowner, Tommy Gwinn, who wanted to create a tribute to artists who left an imprint on rock music and had a connection to the Phoenix area. Due to the summer heat and Gina’s attention to detail, it took a few weeks to complete this 55 ft. long mural. Each of the five portraits took approximately 8 hours to complete. Mind. Blown.
While out painting in this South Tempe neighborhood, she really “enjoyed the time [she] spent painting this mural and getting to meet the locals” who would talk to her as they passed on a walk or bike ride. She says, “I always find the people of Tempe to be so kind and down to earth.”
You’ll find other works by Ribaudo in her former home front, Seattle, and throughout the Phoenix area. Another notable Tempe location for an @ilovemurals sighting is her work as part of Rock Legends at Tempe Marketplace. This public art display inspired the partnership between Gwinn and Ribaudo. She loves that Tempe is a “lively town with so much to do” and that some historical elements remind which remind her of Seattle. “My inspiration always comes from looking for ways to use vibrant color and expressive brush strokes to show the colorful personalities of the people I’m painting.”
The Valley Rockstar Memorial includes local legends Vince Welnick of the The Grateful Dead, Glen Buxton of the Alice Cooper Band, Doug Hopkins of the Gin Blossoms, Chester Bennington from Linkin Park, and Mike Condello, who was a local musician and appeared on the long-running Wallace and Ladmo Show.
“You Are Amazing” by Jayarr (@jayarr.art)
Location: Beck Avenue, south of University Drive, at Laird Street (pink wall)
Location: Across from Sun Devil Marketplace, 660 S. College Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281 (cactus wall)
This campaign of vibrant murals has one important message: “You Are Amazing.” Tempe artist Jayarr is best known for putting this message on colorful triangles found in several locations all over the valley, including Daily Jam and the ground floor of ōLiv Tempe Apartments. What a lovely message to see all over the city!
Danelle Plaza
3400 S. Mill Ave., Tempe, AZ 85282
Have you checked out Danelle Plaza on the southwest corner of Mill Avenue and Southern? Danelle Plaza is an old plaza turned art hub, an ongoing initiative to build awareness about its unique history. The Danelle Project was created to support the authentic local arts and music scene.
You’ll find long-standing hot spots like Yucca Tap Room, which opened as a bar and live music venue in the 70s and Double Nickle Collective, where you can find vinyl records, books, vintage clothing and other cool stuff.
When we spoke with the artists who created works at Danelle Plaza, they said we had to talk with Robert Moore. Moore was the person who really kickstarted the idea to fill Danelle Plaza with murals and art installations, and he helped secure some funding for the project.
Moore described Danelle Plaza as an understated place with two distinct personalities. You can easily find the murals and capture photos in the daytime, but the plaza transforms at night when the vacant store windows light up with LED lights bringing these murals to life. Planning and fundraising for this art project started in 2016 and became a reality in January 2018. It is an ongoing project.
Rodney Hu (owner of Yucca Tap Room) and Evan Liggins (of Tempe Art A Gogh-Gogh, a live music and artist event at Yucca) recently won City of Tempe Arts & Culture awards for their contributions to the community. Here are two of the many pieces you can find at Danelle Plaza.
