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Love

Rainbow Road — Grand Rapids, Michigan

A collage of photos taken on Rainbow Road, a colorful street mural in Grand Rapids. Includes couples and groups of people, some in wedding attire, taking photos and enjoying the vibrant street art.
First image: Two women sitting close together, smiling and looking at each other with a colorful mural background. Second image: A newlywed couple sharing a kiss on a snowy city street with parked cars and apartment buildings, under a rainbow-colored crosswalk.
A bride in a white wedding dress holding a bouquet, and a groom in a dark suit kneeling in front of her, on a colorful geometric sidewalk with angular pattern and bold shades of orange, blue, green, and beige.
People sitting on a rainbow-colored street mural in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a city street background, cars, and pedestrians.

Rainbow Road transformed a downtown street into a large-scale expression of queer visibility, public identity and belonging. Originally painted in 2020, it remains one of the largest permanent Pride installations in the world. The roadway has since been repainted twice, demonstrating continued community support and the project’s longevity beyond its initial launch.

Each installation had to be completed within a one-week window. I managed a team of five assistants to execute the work efficiently while maintaining consistency across the full roadway. What began as a temporary intervention has become a recurring civic landmark.

City sidewalk with storefronts, pedestrians walking, a colorful mural on a building, blossoming trees, and park benches.

CONVERGENCE

Full Steam Ahead — Indio, California

Two distinctive artistic styles brought together as one. Created in collaboration with artist Ivan Montoya, the mural transformed a previously neglected underpass into a vibrant public destination—introducing color, movement, and a renewed sense of place to one of the city’s most prominent gateways.

Commissioned by the City of Indio, home of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the all-encompassing mural spans approximately 16,000 square feet. The project required Ivan and me to combine our individual visual languages into one unified design while adapting the artwork across the underpass’s walls, columns and surrounding architectural surfaces.

Our proposal was selected through a nationwide request for proposals issued by the City of Indio, placing the project among a competitive field of artists and design teams from across the country. With a budget exceeding $65,000, the installation became one of the largest and most complex public commissions of my career—requiring extensive surface preparation, large-scale production planning and the coordination of artwork across nearly every visible architectural plane.

A colorful LGBTQ+ mural painted on the side of a building in Ferndale, Michigan, featuring geometric shapes and vibrant patterns.
Colorful murals painted on the pillars and walls under a bridge in downtown Indio, featuring tropical and floral designs, palm trees, and bright, vibrant colors.

Two distinctive artistic styles brought together as one. Created in collaboration with artist Ivan Montoya, the mural transformed a previously neglected underpass into a vibrant public destination—introducing color, movement, and a renewed sense of place to one of the city’s most prominent gateways.

Commissioned by the City of Indio, home of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the all-encompassing mural spans approximately 16,000 square feet. The project required Ivan and me to combine our individual visual languages into one unified design while adapting the artwork across the underpass’s walls, columns and surrounding architectural surfaces.

A woman dancing with her right arm raised inside a colorful, art-filled space with large hanging disco balls and vibrant hanging flags or banners.
A performer dressed in leopard print costume with black curly hair singing on stage at The Dunes Resort, Saugatuck, Michigan, with colorful banners and a lively audience in the background.
Colorful rainbow crosswalks painted on the street, one of which is adjacent to a building with a green roof, and a group of people gathered nearby. There are signs of community engagement with rainbow-themed artworks and news articles about the crosswalks.
Crowd of people at The Dunes Resort in Saugatuck, Michigan, with colorful decor and confetti in the air.

(IN) Justice

PrideWalk — Sarasota, Florida

Our proposal was selected through a nationwide request for proposals issued by the City of Indio, placing the project among a competitive field of artists and design teams from across the country. With a budget exceeding $65,000, the installation became one of the largest and most complex public commissions of my career—requiring extensive surface preparation, large-scale production planning and the coordination of artwork across nearly every visible architectural plane.

A man in a white shirt, green striped tie, and face mask stands on a street, painting a section of a rainbow-colored crosswalk blue with a roller brush. A bucket of blue paint and a tray are on the ground nearby. There is a U-Haul truck and a tripod in the background.
A rainbow-colored crosswalk painted on a city street, with a group of people and a dog standing on it in front of a house with a teal rooftop and greenery. Traffic signals and other vehicles are visible nearby.
A man wearing a white shirt, green striped tie, and a face mask paints a rainbow-colored flag on a crosswalk with blue paint. He holds a roller brush, and there are buckets of paint nearby. A U-Haul truck and camera are in the background.
People painting a rainbow-colored crosswalk on the street for Pride event.
Couple proposing marriage on a rainbow crosswalk, holding a ring box; another couple walking on a rainbow crosswalk in a city, holding hands and carrying a rainbow flag.

Commissioned in partnership with the nonprofit Project Pride SRQ, this five-way rainbow crosswalk was created as a public expression of visibility, belonging and civic pride. The broader initiative was funded through a grassroots community campaign that raised more than $100,000. The community later repainted the installation, demonstrating sustained local support before the artwork was ultimately removed.

Both installations were completed entirely by unpaid volunteers. Because the intersection could never be fully closed, half of the five-way crossing had to remain open to traffic throughout the painting process. I managed volunteer teams, coordinated continuously with city staff and adapted the work plan as traffic patterns, street closures and safety requirements changed in real time. The project required constant communication, rapid decision-making and careful oversight within an active intersection.

Years later, the crosswalk became part of a larger political conflict over the removal of public rainbow artwork—transforming the project from a celebration of community into a symbol of resistance and contested public space.

People painting a large outdoor mural on a concrete surface in a park on a sunny day.

Queer Joy

The Dunes Resort — Saugatuck, Michigan

Multiple photos from The Dunes Resort at Saugatuck, Michigan celebrating LGBTQ+ pride and drag performances. The images include drag queens in colorful outfits, two shirtless men in shorts and sunglasses, and a large crowd with vibrant flags and decorations.

Commissioned in partnership with the nonprofit Project Pride SRQ, this five-way rainbow crosswalk was created as a public expression of visibility, belonging and civic pride. The broader initiative was funded through a grassroots community campaign that raised more than $100,000. The community later repainted the installation, demonstrating sustained local support before the artwork was ultimately removed.

Two shirtless men wearing white underwear and goggles pose together at a crowded indoor event with colorful flags, disco balls, and a large crowd.
Crowded indoor event at The Dunes Resort with many people, colorful decorations, and confetti in the air.

Both installations were completed entirely by unpaid volunteers. Because the intersection could never be fully closed, half of the five-way crossing had to remain open to traffic throughout the painting process. I managed volunteer teams, coordinated continuously with city staff and adapted the work plan as traffic patterns, street closures and safety requirements changed in real time. The project required constant communication, rapid decision-making and careful oversight within an active intersection.

The Dunes, the largest LGBTQ+ resort in the Midwest, commissioned this installation to transform its main dance hall into an immersive, retro-inspired camp environment. More than 60 suspended, hand-painted canvas banners—some extending as long as 16 feet—were distributed throughout the space, surrounding guests with color, pattern and movement rather than functioning as isolated decoration.

The entire project was completed within a one-month deadline. I measured and cut each heavy canvas banner, coordinated outside sewing, primed both sides, painted every piece individually and transported the full installation to Saugatuck. Working with one hired assistant, I then installed the banners throughout the dance hall to create a cohesive, all-encompassing visual experience.

Originally commissioned for the 2025 season, the installation received such a strong response that The Dunes chose to bring it back for 2026 season. The venue also adapted imagery from the banners into an official T-shirt, extending the installation beyond the physical environment and into The Dune’s broader visual identity.

Group of women walking across a rainbow-colored crosswalk in Sarasota, Florida, waving at the camera. A man in the foreground holds a sign that reads 'EQUALITY FLORIDA.'

Years later, the crosswalk became part of a larger political conflict over the removal of public rainbow artwork—transforming the project from a celebration of community into a symbol of resistance and contested public space.

A rainbow crosswalk being painted on a city street with several workers in yellow safety vests and orange cones. A photo of a pink residential building and a flyer about community engagement and pride event are also visible.

Group Effort

Yaker Park — Detroit, Michigan

Colorful winding pathway in a park with trees, a small basketball court, rocks, and a parked car
People painting a large sidewalk mural with geometric shapes and bright colors outdoors.
Colorful illustrations of animals, plants, and flowers in a row, resembling a decorative border or a bookshelf with art pieces.

I designed a painted pathway system connecting the different areas of Yaker Park through color, movement and play. Covering an extensive network of sidewalks, the project had to be completed during a three-hour community painting event.

I translated the design into a clear, executable system and directed 25 volunteers with no previous mural experience, supported by one hired assistant. Through advance planning, team assignments and tightly coordinated sequencing, the full installation was completed in just over two hours.

Colorful street art murals featuring tropical and desert plants painted on the support columns of an overpass in an urban area.
Colorful murals painted on pillars under a bridge in downtown Indio, with people walking by.

Community Identity

Polychromatic Super You — Ferndale, Michigan

People standing and taking photos in front of a colorful mural painted on a brick wall in Ferndale, Michigan.
A collage of images showcasing colorful murals and street art in Ferndale, Michigan, featuring people taking photos and walking past murals on buildings.
Colorful mural on the side of an underpass, featuring abstract shapes, a skull, and two birds, with an outdoor staircase painted in vibrant colors, and two men posing near the mural in a sunny urban area with palm trees.

The entire project was completed within a one-month deadline. I measured and cut each heavy canvas banner, coordinated outside sewing, primed both sides, painted every piece individually and transported the full installation to Saugatuck. Working with one hired assistant, I then installed the banners throughout the dance hall to create a cohesive, all-encompassing visual experience.

Originally commissioned for the 2025 season, the installation received such a strong response that The Dunes chose to bring it back for 2026 season. The venue also adapted imagery from the banners into an official T-shirt, extending the installation beyond the physical environment and into The Dune’s broader visual identity.

The Dunes, the largest LGBTQ+ resort in the Midwest, commissioned this installation to transform its main dance hall into an immersive, retro-inspired camp environment. More than 60 suspended, hand-painted canvas banners—some extending as long as 16 feet—were distributed throughout the space, surrounding guests with color, pattern and movement rather than functioning as isolated decoration.

Created to reflect Ferndale’s energy, diversity and evolving identity, this large-scale mural transformed a previously forgettable alley wall into one of the city’s most photographed locations. Positioned along a pedestrian route connecting downtown Ferndale with its largest public parking lot, the mural also functions as an unofficial visual way finding landmark—making the transition into the downtown core feel more vibrant and memorable.

The work has since become embedded in the city’s visual identity, appearing across local media, social posts, community events and everyday life in Ferndale. What began as a blank transitional wall now serves as both a recognizable neighborhood landmark and a highly visible gateway into downtown.

Full Steam Ahead — Indio, California