Jason Woodside and Ian Ross Murals

Now entering the heart of the hip oasis, you will notice public art throughout the Gulch. Founded in 2016, the Nashville Walls Project has brought dozens of artists to Nashville, providing them with the opportunity to leave their mark on ourgrowing and vibrant city. Co-founded by Brian Greif and Eva Boros, Brian discussed the project’s origin in an interview with Global Street Art in 2017, “I lived in Nashville before moving to San Francisco. Nashville is a great arts city. It’s known mostly for music, but there is a great graffiti scene here. I made a trip to Nashville in April of 2013 to talk to people and see if the idea of bringing street art to the city was viable. That trip was eye opening. Everyone I talked to in the arts and music community were very excited about the concept. So I moved back to Nashville to bring murals to the city.” Gibson Guitars funded the project along with other sponsors. Specifically, Market Street Enterprises sponsored the next two murals you will see.

One popular addition to the Nashville Walls Project features Jason Woodside's mural that overlooks a parking lot. Based in New York, Woodside is a well known artist who has worked with companies such as Adidas and Colette and in citiesacross the globe— including Paris, Los Angeles, and Sydney. His mural holds geometric patterns and bright colors that create a perfect selfie site in the Gulch. 

Also painted in 2017, Ian Ross's mural brings a little bit of nature into the urban center. Trained in ceramics, his mural echos the movement and three-dimensional detail seen in sculpture. In an interview with Alexa Kessler, Ross talked about the role of art in urban areas, “Art can add so much to a neighborhood. It can be a source of positivity and growth. A lot of times public art can be a catalyst for the neighborhood to change and inspire . . . the community around it.” Ross hopes that his “mural in the Gulch allows the public to be individually and collectively affected by something they can see within his piece.”

Once down the stairs, continue walking down Eleventh Avenue South to the heart of the Gulch, away from Union Station.Continue down the street, passing restaurants and shops until you reach 302 Eleventh Avenue South on your left, the #WhatLiftsYou Mural.