Deep Ellum is home to a new mural from a world-famous graffiti artist. Entitled: Texas Tantrum Trots and Pals, it's from Ron English, dubbed the "Godfather of street art," who is known for his vivid colors and irreverent approach that draws from pop culture, comic book superheroes, advertising, graffiti, and politics.
Commissioned by Westdale Real Estate Investment and Management, this large-scale mural measuring 1,728 square feet is on the southwest corner of Good Latimer and Elm Street, in the same building that will soon be a location of Velvet Taco. The mural runs alongside the building facing Good Latimer.
English works in a wide variety of media, including murals, paintings, collectible toys, and album covers for acts such as the Dandy Warhols and Slash. His work has been exhibited in major cities like New York, Los Angeles, and London.
He earned his MFA from The University of Texas and began his street art career right here in Dallas, Texas in the 1980s, laying the foundation for his role as a pioneer and helping pave the way for emerging street artists today.
The vividly colored mural faces Good Latimer, with downtown Dallas in the background.Courtesy photo
Now based in New York, he spotted this wall more than two years ago during a hometown visit and pegged it as a good location for a mural.
"One of my first sketches was of the character 'Grey Wolf' in my grandmother’s kitchen as a kid in Texas," English says in a statement.
That character appears in the mural, along with other English signatures such as rabbits and a reworking of his famous green "Temper Tot" character, which has figured in several large-scale pieces worldwide. Here it surfaces in a blue version called "Tantrum Tot."
The mural was curated by Miami-based creative collective Goldman Global Arts, the company that has now partnered with Westdale on a total of 20 pieces in Dallas by artists such Shepard Fairey, Dan Kitchener, and Tristan Eaton.
According to a spokesperson, English is a longtime friend and collaborator of GGA co-founder Jessica Goldman Srebnick, and this is how Dallas scored the mural. It was completed on November 2.
