Colorful Geometric Street Art Murals Celebrate the Vibrancy of the Human Spirit [Interview]

“Scholarship Prep Santa Ana,” Santa Ana, CA. Depicts three heroes for the Scholarship Prep Elementary in downtown Santa Ana. Out of all artistic media, murals are arguably the most public. Site-specific, expansive, and often highly visible, they’re unique in their ability to capture their surrounding culture and atmosphere. This is only one reason why artist Brian Peterson gravitates toward the medium. Based in Miami and working in Southern California, Peterson has developed a practice firmly rooted in what he describes as the “essence of the human spirit.” They’re also replete with bold colors and simplified geometry, reflecting the vibrancy of the communities in which they’re found. Peterson’s artwork, though, is not self-indulgent. In 2015, he pioneered the Faces of Santa Ana initiative, during which he painted portraits of unhoused people in his Santa Ana neighborhood and shared sale proceeds with them. Since then, the project has expanded into the non-profit Faces of Mankind, and has been featured in BBC’s Amazing Humans, NPR, and The Huffington Post. Most recently, Peterson designed a mural for California State University’s Fullerton (CSUF) campus. The mural explodes with warm and inviting tones, and showcases a diverse array of faces, ages, and personalities. The CSUF project...