GOPA

Bird Boxes

Rico spray painting branch on electrical box.

Rico looking at his work on an electrical box.

Finished electrical box painted with a Robin.

Robin, located at the corner of 185th and Burnside.

Finished electrical box painted with a Downy Woodpecker.

Downy Woodpecker, located at the corner of Division and Main.

Finished electrical box painted with a Western Meadowlark,

Western Meadowlark, located at the corner of Powell and Hood.

Finished electrical box painted with a songbird.

Black-capped Chickadee, located at the corner of Springwater Trail and Towle.

Ricardo Alvarez in front of hiw mural of fruits and vegetables.

Artist: Ricardo Alvarez

Ricardo (Rico) Alvarez got his start as a graffiti artist, then expanded into branding and logo work, clothing design, print making, screen printing and murals. He has lived in many different cities, but he decided to put down roots and make Gresham his permanent home in 2012.

He was working full-time as a brewer when the pandemic hit in 2020, causing him to refocus more of his energy on art and explore more ways to use his talents. Having been a graffiti artist for decades, he was always interested in large-scale public art and its ability to reach many audiences. His first art project with Gresham Outdoor Public Art was the colorful murals inside the Rockwood Marketplace.

Rico says his 8-year-old daughter inspired him and started him thinking about how to get her and other children more excited about the world around them. He sees art as a great way to stimulate curiosity and a sense of wonder about nature. His “Birds on Boxes” project was designed to do just that.