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Zac Bender
I grew up seeing Raleigh as the big city to go to for exciting trips be it one of the museums, good food, or adventures. As an adult I grew to really know the city backwards and forwards, navigating it without gps or maps. Now as a professional, being able to add to the city especially in the warehouse district is such an honor. The inspiration for this project is the history of the warehouse district. I want to dig into the past and create murals that pay homage to the industrial roots.
My artist style comes from own past drawing comic book characters as a kid then working in screen printing. Both of these influences result in a style that mixes bold colors and illustration heavy intricate linework. I currently live and work professionally as a muralist in Raleigh.
Instagram: @brutalbohemian
Website: zacbender.com
Lauren Crawford
Lauren Crawford's work is rooted in the belief that color can change how people feel in their environment. Her murals are designed to spark joy, invite curiosity, and remind viewers of the vibrancy that already exists within their own bodies, communities, and everyday movement. For the Southeast Raleigh Micro-Mobility Corridors, Lauren draws inspiration from the rhythm of the city—how people walk, glide, bike, skate, and move through shared spaces. Her concepts celebrate motion as a form of connection, highlighting Southeast Raleigh's energy, cultural richness, and the stories of the people who travel these routes.
Lauren's artwork encourages residents to see their daily routes as something meaningful—an opportunity to reconnect with joy, imagination, and the shared experience of moving through a city together.
Instagram: @soitsren
Website: www.soitsren.com
Max Dowdle
Max Dowdle is a seventh-generation North Carolinian, painter, muralist, and public artist whose work explores language, identity, and the shifting landscapes of human connection. Based in Raleigh, he has built a successful career blending fine art practice with large-scale community murals and commercial commissions, bringing in over a decade of experience creating immersive visual environments.
Trained as both a painter and draftsman, Dowdle works primarily with paint, surface, and structure, often merging figuration with abstraction to create layered, narrative-driven compositions.
His artistic journey began in a family of artists and craftspeople, further shaped by study and exhibition. Deeply committed to public engagement, Dowdle's murals and installations aim to spark energy,
dialogue, and wonder in everyday spaces. His work embraces both beauty and tension, using color, form, and interactivity to reveal hidden stories, and open new ways of seeing.
Website: www.ncpublicart.com
Gina Franco
Gina Franco is a self-taught mural artist whose vibrant, optimistic works transform public spaces into sought-after destinations. Born in Spencer, and predominantly raised in Greensboro, Franco's art is deeply rooted in community, aiming to highlight local identity while fostering a sense of joy and connection. Franco's distinctive style is characterized by bold, graphic imagery and a vivid color palette that instantly uplifts. Her work often integrates inspiring messages and whimsical elements, inviting playful interaction from viewers. Influenced by the iconic pop art sensibilities of Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, and Roy Lichtenstein, Franco infuses her large-scale creations with an accessible, contemporary energy. Her murals can be found in Raleigh, Clarksville, Va., and Gainesville, Ga.; and her hometown of Spencer. Franco has also been a featured artist at prominent mural festivals in Carolina Beach and Belleville, Ill., and her work has garnered significant media attention, including numerous newspaper and magazine features, as well as news coverage.
Instagram: @ginaelizabethfranco
Website: ginaelizabethfranco.com
Mayanthi Jayawardena
Mayanthi Jayawardena is a multidisciplinary artist and founder of Serendib Creative LLC, known for her vibrant murals, fine art, illustration, and design. Rooted in her Sri Lankan heritage and informed by over nine years in public health, her work blends cultural storytelling with themes of healing, equity, and empowerment.
Her art is both personal and deeply communal. Through authentic community engagement—like collaborative workshops and co-created designs—Mayanthi ensures her public art reflects and uplifts the voices it represents. Her signature style is bold, flowing, and organic, often incorporating elements like plants and her distinctive “Serendib Drip” to symbolize growth and unity.
Based in Durham, her murals animate businesses, public spaces, and neighborhoods across the Triangle and beyond. Each piece is a celebration of connection, culture, and collective identity. When you work with Mayanthi, you're not just commissioning art—you're co-creating a meaningful visual story.
Instagram: @serendibcreative
Website: www.serendibcreative.com
Kat Kuhn and Brittany Thomas
Kat and Brittany were inspired by the vibrant barn quilts hidden throughout North Carolina’s rural landscapes and their shared nostalgia for quilting. The giddy joy of spotting a barn quilt in the wild resonated with the artists, and inspired them to spread the sensation in their urban landscape. They installed a series of quilt patterns with acrylic paint using sewer access points along the Crabtree Creek greenway, the installation meant to deliver the same impact of a barn quilt in the wild. The two artists now work under the label ‘Barn Quilt Folk’ and are developing ways they can use the traditional quilt folk art lens to illustrate and share the comfort of home, heritage, and community.
Instagram: @BarnQuiltFolk
Kelly Schrader
Kelly Schrader is an illustrator, muralist, and screen printer residing in Raleigh, NC. Since obtaining a BA in Art History and a BFA in Studio Art Practices from Virginia Tech, Schrader has had a fruitful and varied career in visual arts, from collaborating with museums, galleries, and nonprofits on community and educational programs, to creating fun and engaging murals and other public art installations across the Triangle region. She is known for her bright colors and bold line work, coupled with a keen sense of humor and offbeat energy. Schrader believes that finding creative opportunities for public engagement can serve as a framework for building stronger communities.
Instagram: @_schraderart_
Website: www.kelly-schrader.com
