ARTIST: ROB ARMBRISTER

Rob is a multi-disciplinary artist focusing on illustration, iconography and design. He has worked as an illustrator in a myriad of mediums and industries for over 10 years. His work has been featured as magazine covers, public art pieces, apparel and more. Influenced by street art and animation, he brings a vibrant and unique set of colors and characters into all projects and is always looking for opportunities to create accessible art that engages people and communities.

The thought behind this mural started when we were hosting some out of town friends. They remarked on how green the city was compared to their city. As those words hit me, I realized I really started looking past that after so long. Since then, I’ve been paying extra attention to the greenery of my neighborhood and of St. Louis on walks and bike rides.

I’ve lived in ward 5 for 8 years now and it’s a great place to be in the city while still experiencing nature, even outside of parks. During the pandemic when taking walks was one of the activities I used to get out of the house, I was thankful for the greenery of the neighborhoods. When thinking of a mural for this ward I wanted to highlight that feeling. I also wanted to give a nod to the birds and wildlife that bring a lot of vibrancy to the neighborhood. Especially the Eurasian Tree Sparrow p- a bird unique to the St. Louis region on this continent.