LANSING, Mich. — The mid-Michigan area is full of beautiful murals, but have you ever stopped to think who exactly are the people putting them up?
Dustin Hunt is the man behind a couple of them. He's hoping to inspire the community one spray paint can at a time.
This week on the side of the Temple Lofts building in Old Town, you'll find Hunt high off the ground spray painting away.
"It's pretty invigorating to be up there painting," the multidisciplinary creative said.
At first glance, your eyes will be drawn to the bright colors and then move to random doodles. But soon, they will go hand in hand to create something beautiful.
"A nod to what old town used to be," Hunt said.
He's currently working on a mural that features his friend's son and focuses on the Mexican American history.
"It's all about like him building with his heritage and history," Hunt said. "What he's doing is actually building an Aztec feather serpent out of like legos. But all the legos are related to Old Town. So they're all about like, Old Town businesses that have been here for 50 plus years."
This mural is just one of many for the former classroom art teacher.
"I think I have maybe 10 in the area. I have some at over at Sexton High School, downtown, Old Town," Hunt said. "I worked in alternative high schools, middle schools for 10 years teaching art and design. I taught here in Lansing for a bit, Chicago, Portland, Minneapolis."
Hunt says there came a time when he was seeing the state of art in the schools as pretty drab and depressing.
"I decided to just step out and focus on art," Hunt said.
And for the past four year, he's been doing just that. Working on community-based murals and student-centered murals through his small business Muralmatics
"A lot of times, I'll bring in an apprentice to help me out with big walls. Or I'll work with student groups to also knock out really big walls with them," Hunt said.
He hopes his mural will inspire and inform not only adults but the younger generation as well.
"Part of that is using really bright colors. And working with spray paint," he said.
He'll be done painting this mural in Old Town by the end of the week. Hunt says he'll be working on some projects in the spring of 2023, but until then, he's excited to see his art work take over with their colors and vibrancy.
"These murals like really come to life in the wintertime when everything else is like doormen and gray," Hunt said.
He wants the younger generation of artists to know it can be challenging being a creative, but in the end, it's worth it.
"There are lots of folks doing it, making a living making a way. And really just get good at what you want to do and just practice. Seek out mentors, ask questions and just you know pursue your thing," Hunt said.
To contact Hunt check out his Instagramand Facebook pages.
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