Street Artist Sends Positive Message to Kids

An artist of international renown recently treated the as his canvas, thanks to a native son.

Warren Brand, founder of Branded Arts, commissioned artist Nick Walker, known for his street art, to paint a mural at the club. Brand is an alum of the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Monica and spent much of his childhood playing basketball there.

“I came every day after school,” he said.

These days, he refers to himself as a "street art curator" and was glad to be able to find a way to give something back to his old stomping ground.

“Being able to donate the mural to the Boys and Girls Club is really special to me,” Brand said.

Branded Arts recently held a reception at the Boys and Girls Club to officially unveil the mural. The artist, Nick Walker, who lives in Bristol, England, is known for incorporating a vandal into his work. Brand refers to it as “his number one character.” In the mural, the vandal can be seen throwing out his hat, supposedly unleashing magic that yields a butterfly. The children are fans of the mural, said Yoshi Karikomi, a games room staff member at the Boys and Girls Club.

“They actually really like it,” he said. “They like the colors and that it’s not traditional art, and it’s very contemporary. It’s supposed to be a positive image for kids.”

The project at the Boys and Girls Club took two days for Walker to complete. Brand said it is all part of his ongoing effort to showcase “young, emerging artists” and bring positive imagery to local kids.

“We want to give kids an outlet to show their art and be creative,” he said. “It’s all about creativity and giving kids an outlet.”

Stay connected with Santa Monica Patch throughout the day on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to our free daily newsletter for email updates.