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Episode 1

Pride of Place

Discover Austin’s inspiring murals and meet the changemakers, community organizers, and artists who are bringing them to life.

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Episode 2

Women Rising

Explore women rising on the walls of Austin—from images of accomplished artists and activists to messages of female empowerment.

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Episode 3

Big, Bright & Bold

Check out the vibrant contemporary murals that are energizing Austin’s urban architecture and the artists who are enlivening downtown walls.

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ABOUT
DIVE INTO THE MURALS OF AUSTIN

Muraling Austin dives into the dynamic and impactful mural art that is elevating this capital city. Immerse yourself in the art. Meet the artists. Watch them create. Hear from the organizers. Take in the colorful stories behind the murals. This unique three-part documentary series journeys into a world of creativity, perseverance, and triumph.

Close up of Reconnect Yourself, a mural by Austin artist NIZ, located on South Lamar

MURALS AND ARTISTS

EXPLORE THEIR COLORFUL STORIES
Artist Zuzu posing with her mural Paradise Found on the roof of the W Austin Hotel

Paradise Found

Artist Zuzu poses with her bright tropical mural located on the rooftop pool deck of the W Austin hotel downtown. The oversized botanicals and florals in neon pinks and teal create a lively backdrop for poolside sun seekers. (Episode 3)
Artist Ruben Esquivel posing with his mural, Protectors of the Red Bluff, depicting his uncles

Protectors of the Red Bluff

Community activists and brothers Raymond, Pete, and Gilbert Rivera are honored on the Bolm Road fence mural. The images commemorate their successful efforts to eliminate toxic tank farms from the area and designate the surrounding land as a nature preserve. The mural was painted by their nephew, artist Ruben Esquivel (shown here). (Episode 1)
Field of Dreams, a mosaic mural at Downs Field in East Austin, by Reginald C. Adams

Field of Dreams

At historic Downs Field in East Austin stand seven mosaic murals created to recognize its past and players. In use since the 1920s, Downs Field was once home to the Austin Black Senators baseball team. Designed in the style of professional baseball cards, Artist Reginald C. Adams honors legendary baseball stars such as Willie Wells and Satchel Paige. (Episode 1)
Mural of a young Gilbert Rivera, part of the Pillars Project in Rosewood Park in East Austin

The Pillars Project: Our History Our Trail

This is one of 15 murals painted by local community artists on the support pillars underneath the North Pleasant Valley Road overpass in Rosewood Park. The Austin Parks Foundation and other organizations commissioned artists to honor the people considered community pillars who have impacted East Austin. (Episode 1)
Artist Sadé Channell Lawson poses with her mural It's Okay Not to Be Okay on South Lamar in Austin

It’s Okay Not to Be Okay

Artist Sadé Channell Lawson poses here with her mural depicting a woman in three different emotive states. The underlying message encourages women to embrace and be empowered by the full spectrum of their emotions. (Episode 2)
Close up of self portrait of Austin artist Sadé Channell Lawson

Self-Portrait

Artist Sadé Channell Lawson works on canvas as well as large-scale murals. Portrait work is one of her favorite genres. Here, Sadé refines details on one of her self-portraits. (Episode 2)
Close up of Viva la Vida, a mural of Frida Kahlo, painted by Austin muralist ULOANG

Viva la Vida

Muralist ULOANG pays tribute to the iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo in this colorful East 6th Street mural. Named after Kahlo’s last painting, Viva la Vida celebrates Kahlo’s resilience and contributions to the art world. The mural also honors the Mexican culture of the neighborhood in which it resides. (Episode 2)
Where the Wildflowers grow, a mural in downtown Austin by artist DAAS

Where the Wildflowers Grow

Standing 60 feet tall, this mural by Austin-based artist DAAS was inspired by the beauty and resilience of Texas wildflowers. He designed the mural to represent the people of Austin—strong and able to thrive even in a rugged environment—much like wildflowers. (Episode 3)
Austin artist NIZ posing with her mural the Portal

The Portal

Artist NIZ poses with a mural commissioned by an Austin family. The multi-level mural incorporates elements of spirituality and free-diving to represent different levels of consciousness. (Episode 2)
Close up of mural Confinement and Escape, by Austin artist ULOANG

Confinement and Escape

During the COVID-19 lockdown, muralist ULOANG reflects the feeling of being physically and psychologically trapped with images of people confined within cubicles. The mural, meant to be read left to right, evolves into a message of hope with a woman breaking free and taking flight. (Episode 2)
Shepard Fairey painting in his Los Angeles studio

Shepard Fairey

Artist Shepard Fairey works in his studio in Los Angeles, California. He and Sandra Chevrier painted "The Beauty of Liberty and Equality" mural in Austin, Texas as part of the "Writing on the Walls" program sponsored by the Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation. (Episode 1)
Montreal artist Sandra Chevrier working on a portrait of a woman in a mask

Untitled Portrait

Artist Sandra Chevrier’s signature style is painting women in masks. Her process involves creating a physical mask for a model, capturing a photo, and creating a painting from that photo. Her artwork heavily references pop culture and superhero comics, but also carries an underlying message of gender inequality and society’s expectations of women. (Episode 1)
The Beauty of Liberty and Equality, a mural by Sandra Chevrier and Shepard Fairey, located in downtown Austin

The Beauty of Liberty and Equality

Created by Sandra Chevrier and Shepard Fairey, this mural celebrates the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote. The 12-story mural on The LINE hotel depicts the face of a masked woman surrounded by symbols and words relating to the women’s suffrage movement. The mask features Wonder Woman breaking the chains of bondage. (Episode 1)
Close up of Austin artist Rex Hamilton's Be Well mural, located on South Lamar

Be Well

This mural was created by artist Rex Hamilton as part of the Be Well Campaign, a large-scale mural project launched in 2020 to share uplifting messages about mental and physical health during the pandemic. (Episode 2)
Reconnect Yourself, a mural by Austin artist NIZ, located on South Lamar

Reconnect Yourself

In this mural, artist NIZ created a mirror image of a young woman—one part representing the physical self and the other the spiritual self. The mural, which sends a message of inner strength, was part of the Be Well Campaign, launched in 2020 to share uplifting messages about mental and physical health during the pandemic. (Episode 2)
Artist Soledad Fernandez-Whitechurch posing with her mural, Virtual Hike, at the Bouldin Creek Commons garage in Austin

Virtual Hike

On land once inhabited by Native Americans, and more recently known as Austin’s Enchanted Forest, artist Soledad Fernandez-Whitechurch (shown here) pays tribute to the strength and resiliency of the area’s natural environment. The artist’s abstract mural was inspired by old topographical maps and hues from the local vegetation and rocks. (Episode 3)
Artist Zuzu posing with her mural Paradise Found on the roof of the W Austin Hotel

Paradise Found

Artist Zuzu poses with her bright tropical mural located on the rooftop pool deck of the W Austin hotel downtown. The oversized botanicals and florals in neon pinks and teal create a lively backdrop for poolside sun seekers. (Episode 3)
Close up of Viva la Vida, a mural of Frida Kahlo, painted by Austin muralist ULOANG

Viva la Vida

Muralist ULOANG pays tribute to the iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo in this colorful East 6th Street mural. Named after Kahlo’s last painting, Viva la Vida celebrates Kahlo’s resilience and contributions to the art world. The mural also honors the Mexican culture of the neighborhood in which it resides. (Episode 2)
Reconnect Yourself, a mural by Austin artist NIZ, located on South Lamar

Reconnect Yourself

In this mural, artist NIZ created a mirror image of a young woman—one part representing the physical self and the other the spiritual self. The mural, which sends a message of inner strength, was part of the Be Well Campaign, launched in 2020 to share uplifting messages about mental and physical health during the pandemic. (Episode 2)
Artist Soledad Fernandez-Whitechurch posing with her mural, Virtual Hike, at the Bouldin Creek Commons garage in Austin

Virtual Hike

On land once inhabited by Native Americans, and more recently known as Austin’s Enchanted Forest, artist Soledad Fernandez-Whitechurch (shown here) pays tribute to the strength and resiliency of the area’s natural environment. The artist’s abstract mural was inspired by old topographical maps and hues from the local vegetation and rocks. (Episode 3)
The Beauty of Liberty and Equality, a mural by Sandra Chevrier and Shepard Fairey, located in downtown Austin

The Beauty of Liberty and Equality

Created by Sandra Chevrier and Shepard Fairey, this mural celebrates the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote. The 12-story mural on The LINE hotel depicts the face of a masked woman surrounded by symbols and words relating to the women’s suffrage movement. The mask features Wonder Woman breaking the chains of bondage. (Episode 1)
Artist Sadé Channell Lawson poses with her mural It's Okay Not to Be Okay on South Lamar in Austin

It’s Okay Not to Be Okay

Artist Sadé Channell Lawson poses here with her mural depicting a woman in three different emotive states. The underlying message encourages women to embrace and be empowered by the full spectrum of their emotions. (Episode 2)
Where the Wildflowers grow, a mural in downtown Austin by artist DAAS

Where the Wildflowers Grow

Standing 60 feet tall, this mural by Austin-based artist DAAS was inspired by the beauty and resilience of Texas wildflowers. He designed the mural to represent the people of Austin—strong and able to thrive even in a rugged environment—much like wildflowers. (Episode 3)

LESSON PLANS

Social Studies Classroom Content
PBS LearningMedia is a free comprehensive media-on-demand digital content library that offers PreK-12 classrooms a way to integrate dynamic media into daily instruction. Muraling Austin’s five social study lesson plans include a video segment from the docu-series along with suggested activities and questions for discussion that explore the individuals who have contributed to making Austin’s murals, the historic events that appear in murals, and the power of mural art to convey history, place, emotion, and representation of BIPOC communities. 
PBS LearningMedia | Muraling Austin
THE STUDIO
THE CREATORS

The Emmy and Telly Award-winning documentary series, Muraling Austin, is produced by Nelda Studios, a media company and philanthropic organization that amplifies creativity and the arts. Founded by Nelda and Karl Buckman, the studio’s other signature productions include the upcoming Broadway premiere Queen of Versailles, Sunset Blvd, Tony-nominated The Prom, original musical Half Time, and the feature documentaries Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story, Touching The Sun, All Illusions Must Be Broken, and Conviction of the Heart.

Directed and Produced by
Natasha Davison

Executive Producers
Anne Zeiser
Nelda Buckman

Director of Photography
Wilson Waggoner

Narrated by
Franchelle Dorn

Artist Zuzu posing in front of a mural she created in Austin

Associate Producer
Claire Lilley-Williams

Sound Engineers
John McKallip
Tim Dallesandro
Brian Ramos

Editors
Alan Lessig, Supervising
Dave Rehm
Kurt Mischkot
Catherine Carroll

Cameras
Alan Lessig
Samuel Rowland

Researcher
Claire Boyd

Public Art Advisors
Molly Alexander
Raasin McIntosh

Post-production
Texas Crew Productions
Nelda Studios
Austin PBS
Muraling Austin

Muraling Austin is a multi-platform media project anchored by a three-part documentary series exploring Austin’s vibrant murals and the imaginative artists who have brought the city’s walls to life. From large-scale commissioned murals to grassroots public art, the murals in Muraling Austin celebrate people, honor histories, and transform spaces. Premiering on Austin PBS, the project also includes this companion website and teaching materials for classrooms.

Nelda Studios

Nelda Studios is a new Austin-based company with the mission to amplify creativity and art through philanthropy, community outreach, and media productions. The organization has launched successful productions for live-stage, film, and television. In addition, the studio has partnered with The University of Texas at Austin to establish the Buckman Center, a collaboration space for creatives, designers, and technologists at the School of Design and Creative Technologies.