After Juan Velazquez鈥檚 mural of 鈥淭he Punch鈥� made waves internationally 鈥� and with city code enforcement 鈥� local artists are waiting to see whether Arlington will become a friendlier place to paint.
The mural, painted on the side of Gilberto鈥檚 Taco Shop at 611 Park Row Dr., captured international attention for its depiction of the punch former Texas Rangers infielder Rougned Odor threw at Jos茅 Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays. Its second round of fame came when restaurant owner Jose Ruiz was told , then that the mural would stay as city council considered
After two afternoon work session meetings, council has come to a compromise: the city will add on new zones where business owners can commission murals without a permit. However, the new zones leave out murals including Velazquez's depiction of "The Punch."
City ordinances require business owners go through one of two permitting processes before painting a mural: apply for a zoning specification known as a "planned development" or an "alternate sign plan."
The compromise would "grandfather" existing murals under the ordinance, including Velazquez's. That means murals outside of the permitted zones would be considered in compliance 鈥� for now. Business owners with grandfathered art would need to apply for one of the two city planning processes when the murals need to be repainted or their buildings change ownership.
Velazquez said he doesn鈥檛 want a pass for his mural. He wants all parts of town to have access to art, especially low-income areas.
鈥淲hat are you saying? That they can鈥檛 have murals? You know, it鈥檚 not fair, and I just think that everybody should have access to the same type of art,鈥� Velazquez said.
limit murals to parts of downtown and the entertainment district. Council's compromise would add the newly codified International Corridor to the list, as well as a larger swath of downtown. Any business outside of the areas would need to apply for a planned development or an alternate sign plan from the city.
Council members said during May and June meetings they appreciate public art, but fear that giving the whole city 鈥渃arte blanche鈥� to paint could generate divisive artwork.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of good-hearted people in the world that do beautiful, good pieces of art,鈥� said Andrew Piel, District 4 council member, during the . 鈥淚鈥檝e also learned over the past several years there are a lot of people out there who are just trolls.鈥�
Mayor Jim Ross said in an interview that the proposal was a 鈥渃ompromise鈥� that still allows for public art, regardless of location.
鈥淭here are certain parts of the city that are, I think, more conducive to having murals and having murals make a positive impact in those communities than others. It doesn鈥檛 mean that on an individual basis that a mural wouldn鈥檛 be beneficial, it just means that it鈥檚 not carte blanche allowed in an area. It just means you have to come and get permission for it,鈥� Ross said.
City paperwork deters artists
Velazquez has heard from several contemporaries about run-ins with the city.
鈥淚 had a lot of artist friends that told me they tried to paint in Arlington, and their project got shut down,鈥� he said.
Travis Avila said an Arlington tattoo parlor commissioned him for a mural in 2015 . After drafting designs and buying supplies, the business received a letter from the city stating that murals were not allowed. The experience discouraged him from taking on Arlington projects. He called Velazquez when he heard about his plans.
鈥淚 was like, 鈥楲ook, Juan, I haven鈥檛 done work in Arlington for 10 years because of the damn city ordinances,鈥欌�� Avila recalled.
Watching Velazquez鈥檚 work in Arlington take off 鈥� and Velazquez鈥檚 pushing for the mural to stay 鈥� was a ray of hope for him and other artists who would like to do work in town.
鈥淚t kind of brought light to me, and it brought light to a lot of other artists that I know to see Juan do that,鈥� Avila said.
Avila said he and other muralists would love to paint in town. After all, Arlington is the largest mid-city in the region and home to AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field.
鈥淵ou can damn near say it鈥檚 the Arlington Cowboys, you know? 鈥� We鈥檙e the ones spending our money and our tickets going to these places. Why can鈥檛 we make the city of Arlington gorgeous without being interrupted or without having these city ordinances?鈥� Avila said.
Permitted area or not, city employees counted about around town while compiling data for a city council presentation. Downtown Arlington Management Corporation lists a on its website, as well as
From his business鈥檚 downtown storefront, Mark Joeckel of Create Arlington can watch visitors pose in front of Theatre Arlington鈥檚 .
鈥淚t鈥檚 just a steady stream all day, every day, of people coming to take pictures,鈥� Joeckel said.
Joeckel is responsible for some of the murals on the city鈥檚 list. Through his Facebook page , he organized residents and artists to paint several murals in the once-popular Park Plaza Shopping Center.
鈥淚 posted that it was . Who wants to paint it? That鈥檚 really the beginning of all these artists and musicians coming together for that project,鈥� Joeckel said.
With the owner鈥檚 blessing, Joeckel organized a rotation of artists to paint along the wall and canvassed the neighborhood for their ideas and requests. A mural of a honeycomb by Arlington artist Amy Stevens remains; the rest have since been painted over.
The project was a pivotal one for Joeckel to create his business, began what's known as the , make connections with local artists and bring the community together. He can see Velazquez鈥檚 mural having the same effect.
鈥淚t checked off all the boxes of what we鈥檙e trying to do to really uplift local artists, pay local artists to do these things, and it鈥檚 great for the creative economy,鈥� Joeckel said.
He just wishes the process were easier citywide.
鈥淭hat whole sign permitting process, that鈥檒l suck the energy out of anybody,鈥� Joeckel said.
鈥楳ake the city look good鈥�
Council members said during the meeting that they love and welcome public art but fear the divisive political times might foment controversial murals.
Nikkie Hunter, District 3 council member, said in an interview that she understands artists鈥� frustrations. However, the policies are set in place for a reason.
鈥淥ne person鈥檚 creativity might be something that鈥檚 offensive to another, so I think these policies that are put in place, there鈥檚 definitely a very specific reasoning for them,鈥� Hunter said.
Business owners who have trouble obtaining permission for murals can go to city council for help, Hunter added.
Between the price tag associated with commissioning a mural and artists鈥� reputations, there鈥檚 a lot at stake for creators, Velazquez said. That means artists generally take on projects that will not intentionally cause controversy or make the building look worse.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just trying to pay our bills and do what we love, which is art,鈥� he said.
Avila said both artists and city leaders ultimately want the same thing.
鈥淲e鈥檙e actually here to make y鈥檃ll look better, make y鈥檃ll look good, make the city look good,鈥� he said.
The proposed changes will go to Arlington鈥檚 Planning and Zoning Commission Aug. 2, according to Gincy Thoppil, Arlington鈥檚 Planning and Development Services director. The proposal could go before city council this fall.
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