Artist We Love: Greta McLain
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(Photo by Marshall Franklin Long)
Age: 24
Hometown: Minneapolis
Educational background: Ramsey International Fine Arts for elementary, then South High School—both places at which I’ve now done murals, which is really cool—and then UC Davis as an art major, where I focused mostly on Chicano studies and community muralism … and then Mexico City to study muralism and print-making.
How she got her start as a mural artist: The first day of college I went up to my professor and I said, “I’m going to be a muralist, who should I talk to about it this?” [As a burgeoning artist] I wanted there to be a way to portray a strong message in a way that people could take in. I always talk about the universal language of pictures; it doesn’t matter which language you speak, you can always understand a picture.
What she does: It’s community muralism, because the whole community is involved. I’ve been working with a lot of inner-city kids to empower them and have them take ownership of where they’re from and where they currently are. [Muralism] is really powerful as a tool for social change.
Where to see some of her murals: Inside South High School, and I have one mural at Ramsey School, and then one at Safari Express in the Global Market—and then also at Plaza Verde on Lake Street. Outside, there’s one on the back of Kaplan Brothers in Minneapolis.
Future work: In April I start on a mosaic mural project on the new Seward Co-op building [at the intersection of Franklin and Riverside in Minneapolis]. I’m going to be working with local mosaic artist Lori Greene.
When not creating murals: I love biking. I’m a fixed-gear biker, and I’ve been working on my tricks. I also house paint. If there are no mural jobs, I will be up on a ladder scraping and painting your house. I’m an all-around painter, and that gives me credit with the kids.
Check out McLain's mural art at various locations throughout the Twin Cities, and at gretamclain.com
Hometown: Minneapolis
Educational background: Ramsey International Fine Arts for elementary, then South High School—both places at which I’ve now done murals, which is really cool—and then UC Davis as an art major, where I focused mostly on Chicano studies and community muralism … and then Mexico City to study muralism and print-making.
How she got her start as a mural artist: The first day of college I went up to my professor and I said, “I’m going to be a muralist, who should I talk to about it this?” [As a burgeoning artist] I wanted there to be a way to portray a strong message in a way that people could take in. I always talk about the universal language of pictures; it doesn’t matter which language you speak, you can always understand a picture.
What she does: It’s community muralism, because the whole community is involved. I’ve been working with a lot of inner-city kids to empower them and have them take ownership of where they’re from and where they currently are. [Muralism] is really powerful as a tool for social change.
Where to see some of her murals: Inside South High School, and I have one mural at Ramsey School, and then one at Safari Express in the Global Market—and then also at Plaza Verde on Lake Street. Outside, there’s one on the back of Kaplan Brothers in Minneapolis.
Future work: In April I start on a mosaic mural project on the new Seward Co-op building [at the intersection of Franklin and Riverside in Minneapolis]. I’m going to be working with local mosaic artist Lori Greene.
When not creating murals: I love biking. I’m a fixed-gear biker, and I’ve been working on my tricks. I also house paint. If there are no mural jobs, I will be up on a ladder scraping and painting your house. I’m an all-around painter, and that gives me credit with the kids.
Check out McLain's mural art at various locations throughout the Twin Cities, and at gretamclain.com
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