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With the recent completion of five murals in its inaugural year, the Carlsbad Art Wall (CAW) began it’s 2nd season on Saturday, January 16, 2016 with Encinitas muralist Skye Walker on the east facing exterior wall of Señor Grubby’s in the Carlsbad Village.
Unlike the previous CAW artists, Walker is a local. His work can be seen all over North County; it has graced the cover of the San Diego CityBeat and his canvas paintings can be found within the walls of many local collectors’ homes.
Walker’s newest mural titled Actuality reflects his San Diego roots with oceanic and environmental themed iconography symbolizing one’s place within their surroundings, the environment and the full circle of life.
This compartmentalized 25′ x 13′ mural includes a wide variety of imagery, each in itself a separate composition, but as a whole, a brightly colored collage of spray-painted talents.
Mother Nature, a seductive yet fragile woman with crimson lips gasps deeply as a arrangement of hammerhead sharks flutters overhead. A perfectly rendered skull radiates with energy as to represent life rather than death, and a collection of colorful abstractions holds the collage tightly together.
Walker promptly began work early Saturday morning by unloading his truck laden of GoPro cameras, reference sketches, Kind Bar snacks, sponsor hook-ups and multiple boxes of spray-cans, many which were emptied on Walker’s newest urban canvas.
As the sun raised high and the mid-winter sky shined a comfortable beam of warmth, Walker began covering the wall with his preliminary colors. Carlsbad locals and visiting enthusiasts, 
many whom Walker already knew, watched from the sidelines. Others brought their own chairs and sat for hours in the moist green grass.
Walker worked feverishly though his mural, but always made time for requested photos, school interviews, a tasty Grubby’s taco and often welcomed conversation amongst the constant flow of fans, which occurred constantly throughout each day.
Within a mural of many images, an eye for composition is crucial. Walker’s design could stand alone on the head of a needle. Day one ended with balance, day two began with detail. Carefully sprayed highlights of Mother Natures lips glistened, swirling abstractions balanced and diagonal stripes guided. Walkers sprays became smaller, tighter and more precise as his shapes took dimension.
Passersby awed at the colors, the perfectly rendered woman and the crowd favorite Hammerhead sharks as Walker sprayed his final touches. After two days, countless photos and unforgettable conversations with life-long friends, as well and new friendships, Walker looked at his newest mural with great accomplishment as the surrounding onlookers looked at him with gratitude.
The inaugural year of the Carlsbad Art Wall showcased visiting artists from LA including a collection of 5 murals introducing new and visually foreign design to the Carlsbad village. As reflected in Walker’s mural, the CAW 2nd year has returned to its roots making a full-circle back to local iconography, local talents—and a year long local yearning.
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Directions to the Carlsbad Art Wall located at Señor Grubby’s
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