I love Wile E Coyote. I see a lot of myself in him: coming up with grand ideas and consistently falling short of the target. I’m sure a lot of people in creative fields can identify with this feeling… failure is a major part of creating. But I think it's also really important we find humor in the curse and the blessing of this need to create (especially when our income is tied to the success of what we make). This particular image is also about patience, as Wile E is perpetually looking off into the distance, optimistically waiting.
I tried to incorporate as much of the existing wall as possible into this mural: using the brick as a major element in the piece, and painting a post to make the "please back in" sign screwed into the wall look like it was in the scene. I really love blurring that line between reality and make believe.
I’ve been wanting to make more Wile E Coyote pieces in Chicago for a while. This mural was made possible because a friend and collector, Ryan Dromgoole (who is getting married later this year) wanted to help paint a mural with me for his bachelor party. He and the members of the party all pitched in to help pay for the paint and assisted filling in colors the whole first day.
Help from the Bachelor Party. - Photo by Oscar Alejandror
"Caution: Falling Rock" is located on the east side of Five Star Bar on Chicago Ave in Chicago IL. At 32ft tall and 55ft wide it’s definitely one of my largest public works.
Here’s a bit of the process:
Click here to see Street Art News’ article about “Caution: Falling Rock”.