Mural V: Mechano Forms by Juan Thorp

Exterior Wall of Joshua Tree Art Gallery
61607 29 Palms Highway Joshua Tree, CA

The MBCAC continues our mission to inspire and enliven the community through the arts by presenting a rotating line up of large temporary murals on the exterior wall of the Joshua Tree Art Gallery. For our fifth round, we feature this new work created by local artist Juan Thorp.

Juan Thorp’s current work reflects the concept of the “in-between”. The subjects focus on the phase between ideas, between exact forms, at the morph. You may not pinpoint what you are seeing. This thing is kinda-like, not quite but almost that. Juan took an alternative approach creating this mural by usual cut vinyl on painted metal panels.

Artist Statement:

“I’ve been working on these mechanical shapes for a while now. I draw these shapes and lines quickly, they are natural automatic drawings. I usually don’t start with any idea, I react to what I see is being created on the page. I then edit them to reinforce the idea or feeling I see forming. Complex shape and flow are encouraged, strange lines or crevices are emphasized. The weirder, the better.

Creating this piece took many steps. I decided to create the “panels” using the techniques of sign making. Each of the 3 images starts off as a pencil hand drawing in a sketch book. This drawing is then scanned and brought into Illustrator and re-drawn using the Bezier pen tool. This graphic is then colored, separated, and cut out of color vinyl. Each different color piece is cut and placed on the painted metal panel with the black lines going last. The final result is a piece of art that is suited for viewing from very far and can last in an outdoor setting for many years.

About the Artist:

Juan Thorp is an abstract painter residing in Rimrock California. He studied fine art at the University of Cal Poly Pomona and received his BA in Fine Art. Together with his wife, Susie, they own Desert Peach and Crayon Cannon, a Gallery/Store and a Design/Sign Shop in Yucca Valley.

Art has the power to connect, uplift and inspire everyone.

The goal of this mural series is to catch the eye of a passerby and shift their current outlook to one of inspiration and intrigue as they traverse downtown Joshua Tree. We are accepting submissions for new murals for our 2022 season. Visit our call for work for more information. We are happy to continue and adapt this great program started by JTAG founder Frederick Fulmer.

This mural is for sale. Please contact gallery-director@mbcac.org if interested.

Artist website: thorpart.com | IG: @thorpart

This mural is for sale. Please contact gallery-director@mbcac.org if interested. Interested in being a future mural artist? Check out our call for work!