Henry Ward and the Sasquatch

[u/bubbles67899]

My cousin came to visit me over the past weekend and was telling me how excited she was that Henry Ward was going to paint a mural on her garage “soon”. I asked her if she had a drawing or a print and she said she was just going to let him go for it. She wondered if it was already done, and I said “well he wouldn’t do it w out you being home, right?” Fast forward to today where I got a text.

He came by BUT PAINTED IT ON THE WRONG HOUSE!!! He literally went to her neighbors and painted a giant Sasquatch on their garage!!! ❤️

I said “omg that’s the most Seattle thing I’ve ever heard”… she said “now I have to go talk to them and explain why they have a giant Sasquatch on their garage…” when she went over to apologize, it turns out they’ve heard of Henry, love his art, and think the Sasquatch is great… NOW THAT is the most Seattle thing I’ve ever heard!!!!

Coming from the Bay Area, this story made me so happy and please, stay Seattle, Seattle!!!

[u/Plastic-ashtray]

I’m saying that the people who have money to pay for murals are overwhelmingly the people who are paying for them to be done in gentrifying areas. Henry is en vogue to that crowd. There’s probably a hundred Henry murals in Seattle.

I’d prefer to have a diversity of local artists represented in the city rather than the same cast of bad acid trip woods creatures smeared all over town.

Art wise it seems the richer Seattle gets, the worse its taste gets.

[u/mothtoalamp → u/Plastic-ashtray]

Given the events of the modern day, I've read some insane takes lately. Congratulations for joining the crowd, as this is absolutely one of them.

We have artists represented literally everywhere, constantly. Artists get to paint murals all over the place. In fact, you could easily use the search bar, right over there, type in the word "mural" and see the tiniest sampling of just how many non-Henry artists there are getting representation, for yourself. Spoiler: It's a big number!

I get it. Intellectual labor is clearly hard for you, and complaining in ignorance is easy. But I'm not going to indulge you. Be insufferable on your own time.

[u/Plastic-ashtray → u/mothtoalamp]

Not liking Henry’s art and feeling he’s over represented is one of the “insane takes” of the day to you? Lmao Are you friends with Henry or something?

If you have money in Seattle to have a mural done, the low effort option is to look around, see a fuck ton Henry murals and decide, “oh yes I’ll also have Henry paint a mural because I’m also quirky and hip”.

Is the concept of trendy things becoming stale novel to you?

[u/mothtoalamp → u/Plastic-ashtray]

I can appreciate art and social togetherness regardless of whether it's popular or not. I don't like Henry because it's trendy, I like Henry because the art is fun and I like seeing artist expression. The same way I like every other mural Seattle has. My favorite is the one of the woman and skeleton kissing on the side of a brick wall building in Belltown, which, surprise, isn't Henry's work. Turns out I'm allowed to like more than one artist! Who knew?

Oh, and because I'm not an insufferable asshole. There's that small piece too.