Painters DC 58 volunteers ready the canvas for Paint Louis

ONCE A YEAR, graffiti artists from around the world descend on St. Louis to participate in the massive public art project known as Paint Louis. The event, with the blessing of the city, invites artists to lay fresh art on the concrete floodwall on S. Wharf St. between Chouteau Ave. and S. Leonor K. Sullivan Blvd. on a section known as the Mural Mile. The graffiti changes throughout the year, with newer pictures covering the old. But once a year the whole thing starts fresh, thanks to the union volunteers of Painters District Council 58, who paint the whole wall from end-to-end to make a fresh canvass for local and visiting artists. This year’s Paint Louis event took place Sept. 3-5. Painters DC 58 volunteers donated evenings of their time to get the wall ready. They included (center photo, from left) Matt Galen, Cody Colin, Clarance Childers, Jason Bower, Painters Local 2341 Business Agent Wendell Harris and Austin McMillan. – Otto Schoenberg/Painters Local 115 photos