Q&A: TU creative director on the campus murals going viral

August 7, 2023

When two new large-scale murals were installed in the University Union this summer, they instantly inspired cross-campus pilgrimages and thousands of Instagram likes. We spoke to the artist, TU Creative Director David Calkins ’93, ’22, for the story behind the murals, including the artist he turned to for inspiration and a close call before installation.

How did the project come about?
Assistant Director of Brand Marketing Erica Green approached me with the idea in January, just after the University Union renovations were complete. She wanted to create something visual and geometric to build TU pride and reflect the energy of the building, which is this bustling hub of campus life. She’d identified the locations—outside facing Tiger Way and inside in the main stairwell. We were excited to create new ways for students to interact with campus.

What was your artistic process?
I started with a site visit to get a feel for the art’s placement, scale and positioning as well as how it would interact with its environment. Then I drew lots of horrible things and threw them all away. That’s part of the process! I looked at art history and drew inspiration from the artist Charley Harper. Eventually, I created pencil drawings I was happy with and took them into the design software Adobe Illustrator to refine and add color. They were transferred onto vinyl for installation.

Were there any close calls during the development?
Right before final production we ordered a small-scale sample of the art on vinyl. I looked at it closely and noticed a tiny line of green in the middle of the gold tiger. It was maybe a centimeter thick on the sample but would’ve blown up to be several inches to a foot on the final mural! That’s the nerve-wracking thing about a big installation: Any tiny imperfection will be magnified. I’m so glad we caught it.

What’s the reaction been?
The mural reveal was one of our most-liked Instagram posts ever. So many people are interacting with the mural already, and the fall term hasn’t even begun. To me, the reaction really reinforces the power of public art to improve our mood and strengthen school spirit. I hope seeing them makes people happier.

Are there plans for more murals to come?
I hope so. We don’t have any concrete plans right now, but I have some ideas saved just in case. Fingers crossed.

Join the roar

Tag TU in your mural photos on Instagram using #TUproud.