We all know that Chattanooga has a vibrant art scene — and we’re not just talking about The Hunter Museum of American Art or Immersion Gallery. One of our all-time favorite galleries? Chattanooga itself.
The Scenic City is home to a number of meaningful murals and street art pieces. Today, we’re sharing where to find a few pieces that really paint a picture of our city.
Downtown
“Pollinator,” 321 Chestnut St. | By Joy Taylor
This mural is part of the Creative Discovery Museum’s Buzz Alley exhibit, dedicated to the importance of native bees’ roles as pollinators.
“Change Starts in Your Own Backyard,” 10 W. MLK Blvd. | By Steffi Lynn
Steffi’s message behind this mural is “You have the power to make positive change — no matter how big or small” right where you are.
“The Soul of MLK” murals, E. 10th Street + Foster Street | Various artists
This series of murals came from a project headed by EPB that enlisted the help of nine artists.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. mural, 734 E. MLK Blvd. | By Kevin Bate
This mural is based on the notable photography by Flip Schulke.
“Fallen Five,” 1704 McCallie Ave. | By Kevin Bate
This mural honors the five service members who were killed on July 16, 2015.
“Four Horsewomen,” 1411 McCallie Ave. | By Hollie Berry
Berry’s mural features the “Four Horsewomen of the Renaissance” — Scheherazade on the white horse, Mulan on the fiery horse, Uhura on the dark horse, and Ellen Ripley on the pale horse. Her goal was to make a mural of powerful women that girls can look up at.
Boy with goggles mural, between McCallie Avenue + Highland Park Avenue | By Ali Kay
Kay said that she wanted to create a mural that made people smile and feel good when they saw it from a distance.
Highland Park
“Main and Highland Park Community Mural,” 1516 E. Main St. | By Nathan Brown and community members
This gigantic geometric mural was painted on the side of a two-story building, and over 20 gallons of paint + 200 cans of spray paint were used to create the piece.
“Interweaving CHA,” 809 S. Willow St. | By Alex Paul Loza
This mural was completed at La Paz Chattanooga with the help of ArtsBuild + Public Art Chattanooga’s Working Artist Grant.
“Highland Park,” 1300 McCallie Ave. | By Kevin Bate
Community members joined local artist Kevin Bate to create a Highland Park sign for the neighborhood.
Southside
“What Lifts You,” 1501 Long St. | By Kelsey Montague
This mural is one of the city’s most popular selfie spots, with the perfect space for you to stand in the middle of two wings.
“Flying Doughnut,” 1900 Broad St. | By Joseph Giri
This mural was almost painted over for being deemed an illegal advertisement for nearby Koch’s Bakery by the city inspector in 2014. After several artists banned together (and someone sent 650 donuts to Chattanooga City Council), the ordinance was changed and the mural was saved.
“Communal Kaleidoscope,” 1409 Market St. | By Alecia Vera + Briah Gober
Displaying an abstract look through a kaleidoscope, this mural also depicts themes of togetherness.
Brainerd
Yoda mural, between Gannon Art Center + Art Warehouse on Brainerd Rd. | By The Artist SEVEN
This mural depicts one of the “Star Wars” saga’s most beloved characters. You can also check out SEVEN’s other murals in the area like “Maya’s Blues” and “Dimensional Evolution” at the Passage at 3116 (not to mention countless other murals across the city).
“Brainerd Vision and Legacy,” 6900 Ty Hi Dr. | By Brandon Donahue
The Woodmore Manor and Brainerd community weighed in on what would be an iconic representation of the area neighborhoods, resulting in this mural.
Soddy-Daisy
“A Happy Place,” 9826 Dayton Pike. | By Mary Tomas and volunteers
This mural is Soddy-Daisy’s first public work of art, thanks to Keep Soddy-Daisy Beautiful and help from community members + organizations.
