Epic Rides Mural - Tucson Arizona

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The Epic Rides Mural is located at 534 North Stone Avenue, Tucson, Arizona. The mural is placed on the back side of the commercial business, Epic Rides, who provides equipment for cyclists. It is considered the largest mural in Tucson, so far. The mural measures at about 130 feet wide, and 30 feet tall.[1]

Image by Rachel Custer

The artist responsible for this amazing piece is Joe Pagac. Pagac has been painting murals for 14 years now. The mural was started on March 20, 2017. The plan was to have the mural finished before April 22, 2017, which just so happened to be his wedding date.[2]

The idea for the mural started 3 years prior to its completion in 2017. Joe Pagac had seen plans for the Downtown Links Project.[3] The Downtown Links Project is a plan dedicated to improving connections throughout Tucson, intended to help cyclists, pedestrians, and everyone else who may stumble across the augmentations[4]. Joe Pagac had to consult the president of the business, Epic Rides, since the mural was going to be on the building’s wall. The president, Todd Sadow, was presented many ideas but ended up choosing to go along with the theme of vivid colors, cyclists, and the Sonoran desert.[5]

The vision came together beautifully, incorporating bright colors and high contrast. The mural features, on the left side, a cowboy and a folklorico dancer riding bikes in the daylight. On the right side, the hair of the dancer becomes the night sky and her dress becomes the desert setting, including (in order from left to right) a javelina, tortoise, and jackalope—also riding bikes.[6] The Epic Rides Mural’s use of intense colors and desert-specific critters helps to celebrate the Tucson community, Mexican heritage, and the Sonoran desert.[7]

With the mural being over 4,000 square feet, the cost to complete it landed around $18,000.[8] Artist Joe Pagac turned to crowdsourcing in order to fund his project.[9] He used Kickstarter, which is a website dedicated to help creative projects prosper.[10] Similar to Kickstarter is GoFundMe, which also creates a platform for people to donate to. Pagac filmed a video to present his idea of the mural to the Tucson community. Citizens who donated at least fifty dollars earned the privilege to put their name on the wall. One woman proposed using this strategy with the words, “Thomas, my love, say Yes? <3 Grace” (and the answer was yes!). The names and the proposal can be seen under the Jackalope, within a white box[11].

Image of Donator Names and Proposal[12]

Pagac used an “all or nothing” approach, signaling that if he did not raise at least $18,000 by March 13^th, 2017, then he would give up on the idea of the mural. Lucky for us, the artist raised $21,616 from 302 backers. Not only was the mural enormous, but it is also located in the heart of Tucson. This means that the labor is intensive (and HOT!), and there are certain precautions Pagac needed to take to be weather-conscious. He listed his necessities on his Kickstarter page including; “purchasing a high-quality masonry primer for the wall. Purchasing high quality, UV and weather resistant paint for the wall. Purchasing a UV and weather resistant top coat for the mural. Renting a cherry picker. All the materials needed to paint the wall including rollers, brushes and a paint sprayer. Labor to paint this beast of a mural”.[13] The mural took roughly 30 gallons of spray paint. Since the Tucson summers get way too hot, Pagac had to paint overnight. He would wake up at midnight and head over to Stone Ave. He mentioned bringing gallons of water to pour over himself in order to beat the heat.[14] Pagac’s dedication is obvious.

It is said that a lot of Tucson’s culture is hidden inside from the summers being too hot. Murals have the ability to show first-comers how vivacious the culture is. The works of art “add surface culture to community”.[15] The locals are so proud of the work, even the Tucson Federal Bank has begun to offer the mural as a choice for the background of bank cards.[16] Mayor Jonathan Rothschild was there on November 7^th, 2017, for the official unveiling of the mural.[17] The mayor was quoted saying, “It’s so Tucson”, referring to the artwork. Unbelievably, the Epic Rides Mural is visible from the iconic “A” Mountain.[18] The Tucson Murals Project provides a map of murals around Tucson, including this one. Murals allow artists work to be seen by the public eye on a large scale.[19]

You can visit that page here: https://tucsonmurals.blogspot.com/p/mural-map.html

Image by Rachel Custer

The website, Kickstarter, allows creators to describe their goal. On Joe Pagac’s page he writes that his mission is “to bring the Tucson community together to beautify the city while promoting an active, outdoor lifestyle and cycling”. He mentions that biking is dear to his heart, as he is a cyclist himself. There are plenty of biking events located in Tucson and the two that Pagac mentioned especially were ‘24 Hours in Old Pueblo’ and ‘El Tour de Tucson’. As the mural is on the South facing wall of the Epic Rides building, it is facing the New Aviation Highway and Downtown Tucson. Pagac is excited for his artwork to be displayed to thousands daily. Murals are also supposed to help with graffiti problems, and this wall was subject to graffiti constantly.[20]

There is a parking lot right next to the mural, making it easily accessible for people to view it. Unfortunately, it was reported on March 5^th, 2018, that someone had vandalized the mural with graffiti. Although Pagac received hundreds of dollars to help fix the mural, he was left confused about the event. He was quoted, “I always understood that taggers and muralists left each other’s stuff alone”.[21] The tagger made it especially personal, as he crossed Pagac’s signed name out, and replaced it with their name.[22]

About The Artist:

Image of Joe Pagac[23]

Joe Pagac was born January 13^TH, 1981, making him currently 37 years old[24]. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Visual Communication and Illustration.[25] Pagac was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. He’s worked in various fields including construction, performing arts, marketing, sculpture, event planning, fine artistry, murals, and more. He even has experience working in 2D and 3D. Pagac’s webpage mentions that he focuses on, “painting what was in other people’s hearts instead od insisting on only painting what is in his own”. His client base stemmed from work based in restaurants and homes and grew as he realized he wanted to add to public art.[26]

His website is: http://joepagac.net/

Being a Tucson native, there is no confusion as to why he gets his inspiration from the desert. “When you’re a muralist, every wall is a good spot for a mural”, Pagac said. He feels as though he makes a difference with every mural and feels very fulfilled by the art. The artist is no stranger to praise as well, stating that he receives a lot of positive reinforcement from bystanders.[27] He wants people to be able to put their phones down for a couple seconds and enjoy the real-world view.[28]

You can see step-by-step progress of the mural located here: https://tucsonmurals.blogspot.com/2017/04/murals-being-made-part-46a-tucsons.html

[1] Willett, Johanna. "Dream plus Online Campaign Equals Mural with Large 'pops of Color' in Tucson." Arizona Daily Star. March 30, 2017. Accessed November 2018. https://tucson.com/news/local/dream-plus-online-campaign-equals-mural-with-large-pops-of/article_964f54c9-cfa0-53b3-b64c-fb62fb27be9b.html.

[2] Willett, Johanna. "Dream plus Online Campaign Equals Mural with Large 'pops of Color' in Tucson." Arizona Daily Star. March 30, 2017. Accessed November 2018. https://tucson.com/news/local/dream-plus-online-campaign-equals-mural-with-large-pops-of/article_964f54c9-cfa0-53b3-b64c-fb62fb27be9b.html.

[3] Willett, Johanna. "Dream plus Online Campaign Equals Mural with Large 'pops of Color' in Tucson." Arizona Daily Star. March 30, 2017. Accessed November 2018. https://tucson.com/news/local/dream-plus-online-campaign-equals-mural-with-large-pops-of/article_964f54c9-cfa0-53b3-b64c-fb62fb27be9b.html.

[4] "Downtown Links Project." Downtown Links. Accessed November 2018. https://www.downtownlinks.info/.

[5] Willett, Johanna. "Dream plus Online Campaign Equals Mural with Large 'pops of Color' in Tucson." Arizona Daily Star. March 30, 2017. Accessed November 2018. https://tucson.com/news/local/dream-plus-online-campaign-equals-mural-with-large-pops-of/article_964f54c9-cfa0-53b3-b64c-fb62fb27be9b.html.

[6] Trulsson, Nora B. "Walls That Talk." Tempe | Visit Arizona. Accessed November 2018. https://www.visitarizona.com/planning/local-word/walls-that-talk.

[7] TIBO. "Tucson's Largest Mural Unveiled This Week." TIBO Tucson Improvement and Beautification Org. Accessed November 2018. http://tiboaz.biz/2017/11/09/tucsons-largest-mural-unveiled-this-week/.

[8] TIBO. "Tucson's Largest Mural Unveiled This Week." TIBO Tucson Improvement and Beautification Org. Accessed November 2018. http://tiboaz.biz/2017/11/09/tucsons-largest-mural-unveiled-this-week/.

[9] Trulsson, Nora B. "Walls That Talk." Tempe | Visit Arizona. Accessed November 2018. https://www.visitarizona.com/planning/local-word/walls-that-talk.

[10] Pagac, Joe. "Huge Cycling / Bike Mural for Tucson Arizona." Kickstarter. Accessed November 2018. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1092548129/huge-cycling-bike-mural-for-tucson-arizona.

[11] CactusCatz. "Wordless Wednesday: Joe Pagac's Epic Ride Mural." Cactus Catz. October 11, 2018. Accessed November 2018. https://cactuscatz.com/photography-mine/wordless-wednesday-joe-pagacs-epic-ride-mural/.

[12] Pagac, Joe. Donator Names. Digital image. Tucson Murals Project. 2017. https://tucsonmurals.blogspot.com/2017/06/murals-being-made-part-46c-tucsons.html.

[13] Pagac, Joe. "Huge Cycling / Bike Mural for Tucson Arizona." Kickstarter. Accessed November 2018. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1092548129/huge-cycling-bike-mural-for-tucson-arizona.

[14] Schreiber, Evan, Melissa Egan, and Tucson News Now. "Community Donations Help Fund Tucson's Largest Mural." Http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com. March 02, 2018. Accessed November 2018. http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/36789503/community-donations-help-fund-tucsons-largest-mural/.

[15] Oein, Amanda. "Meet the Muralist: Joe Pagac." Tucson Guide. summer 2018. Accessed November 2018. https://tucsonguide.com/meet-the-muralist-joe-pagac/.

[16] Leon, Julia. "Tucson Federal Offers Local Mural Imagery on Debit Cards." Southern Arizona News. September 06, 2018. Accessed November 2018. http://wn.kvoa.com/story/39040160/tucson-federal-offers-local-mural-imagery-on-debit-cards.

[17] Schreiber, Evan, Melissa Egan, and Tucson News Now. "Community Donations Help Fund Tucson's Largest Mural." Http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com. March 02, 2018. Accessed November 2018. http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/36789503/community-donations-help-fund-tucsons-largest-mural/.

[18] Trulsson, Nora B. "Walls That Talk." Tempe | Visit Arizona. Accessed November 2018. https://www.visitarizona.com/planning/local-word/walls-that-talk.

[19] TIBO. "Tucson's Largest Mural Unveiled This Week." TIBO Tucson Improvement and Beautification Org. Accessed November 2018. http://tiboaz.biz/2017/11/09/tucsons-largest-mural-unveiled-this-week/.

[20] Pagac, Joe. "Huge Cycling / Bike Mural for Tucson Arizona." Kickstarter. Accessed November 2018. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1092548129/huge-cycling-bike-mural-for-tucson-arizona.

[21] Arizona Daily Star. "Repairs Set This Week for Popular Tucson Mural Damaged by Tagging." Arizona Daily Star. March 05, 2018. Accessed November 2018. https://tucson.com/news/local/repairs-set-this-week-for-popular-tucson-mural-damaged-by/article_ed68189e-ca95-505a-82a9-03adb5605968.html.

[22] Schreiber, Evan, Melissa Egan, and Tucson News Now. "Community Donations Help Fund Tucson's Largest Mural." Http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com. March 02, 2018. Accessed November 2018. http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/36789503/community-donations-help-fund-tucsons-largest-mural/.

[23] Joe Pagac Portrait. Digital image. https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=xSwUYf7v&id=9A4DFD1A9BAA302B800C12738144D70E8FE943CD&thid=OIP.xSwUYf7vFcpcumLDnT1OcQHaHa&mediaurl=http%3a%2f%2fi.imgur.com%2fGed5Z.jpg&exph=400&expw=400&q=joe+pagac&simid=608014728696105767&selectedIndex=2&ajaxhist=0

[24] "Joe Pagac." Wikipedia. May 27, 2018. Accessed November 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Pagac.

[25] Pagac, Joe. "Welcome." Joe Pagac - Custom Murals, Fine Art and Fabrication. Accessed November 2018. http://joepagac.net/.

[26] Pagac, Joe. "Welcome." Joe Pagac - Custom Murals, Fine Art and Fabrication. Accessed November 2018. http://joepagac.net/.

[27] Oein, Amanda. "Meet the Muralist: Joe Pagac." Tucson Guide. summer 2018. Accessed November 2018. https://tucsonguide.com/meet-the-muralist-joe-pagac/.

[28] Schreiber, Evan, Melissa Egan, and Tucson News Now. "Community Donations Help Fund Tucson's Largest Mural." Http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com. March 02, 2018. Accessed November 2018. http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/36789503/community-donations-help-fund-tucsons-largest-mural/.

Sources:

Arizona Daily Star. "Repairs Set This Week for Popular Tucson Mural Damaged by Tagging." Arizona Daily Star. March 05, 2018. Accessed November 2018. https://tucson.com/news/local/repairs-set-this-week-for-popular-tucson-mural-damaged-by/article_ed68189e-ca95-505a-82a9-03adb5605968.html.

CactusCatz. "Wordless Wednesday: Joe Pagac's Epic Ride Mural." Cactus Catz. October 11, 2018. Accessed November 2018. https://cactuscatz.com/photography-mine/wordless-wednesday-joe-pagacs-epic-ride-mural/.

"Downtown Links Project." Downtown Links. Accessed November 2018. https://www.downtownlinks.info/.

"Joe Pagac." Wikipedia. May 27, 2018. Accessed November 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Pagac.

Leon, Julia. "Tucson Federal Offers Local Mural Imagery on Debit Cards." Southern Arizona News. September 06, 2018. Accessed November 2018. http://wn.kvoa.com/story/39040160/tucson-federal-offers-local-mural-imagery-on-debit-cards.

Oein, Amanda. "Meet the Muralist: Joe Pagac." Tucson Guide. summer 2018. Accessed November 2018. https://tucsonguide.com/meet-the-muralist-joe-pagac/.

Pagac, Joe. "Huge Cycling / Bike Mural for Tucson Arizona." Kickstarter. Accessed November 2018. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1092548129/huge-cycling-bike-mural-for-tucson-arizona.

Pagac, Joe. "Welcome." Joe Pagac - Custom Murals, Fine Art and Fabrication. Accessed November 2018. http://joepagac.net/.

Schreiber, Evan, Melissa Egan, and Tucson News Now. "Community Donations Help Fund Tucson's Largest Mural." Http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com. March 02, 2018. Accessed November 2018. http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/36789503/community-donations-help-fund-tucsons-largest-mural/.

TIBO. "Tucson's Largest Mural Unveiled This Week." TIBO Tucson Improvement and Beautification Org. Accessed November 2018. http://tiboaz.biz/2017/11/09/tucsons-largest-mural-unveiled-this-week/.

Trulsson, Nora B. "Walls That Talk." Tempe | Visit Arizona. Accessed November 2018. https://www.visitarizona.com/planning/local-word/walls-that-talk.

Willett, Johanna. "Dream plus Online Campaign Equals Mural with Large 'pops of Color' in Tucson." Arizona Daily Star. March 30, 2017. Accessed November 2018. https://tucson.com/news/local/dream-plus-online-campaign-equals-mural-with-large-pops-of/article_964f54c9-cfa0-53b3-b64c-fb62fb27be9b.html.

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