Dakota Drake is an illustrator, digital artist, comic artist, and painter. Commissions open!
16/03/2025
Oak Street Mural Fest 2025!
This kind of festival shows me what a neighborhood could be if everyone is involved, cares, interacts, and engages. This is my second year live painting there, and both times I've come away in awe of what an amazing community they have.
Phil Freedom helped me find an amazing spot right on Oak Alley on a wooden fence - a new challenge! I've never panted on a wood fence! So the light coming in at an angle towards the end of the day also posed some challenges for photoing the finished work - just take my word for it that it looks better in person.
One of the things I love about muraling is getting to talk to passerby. It's such a cool experience! Some highlights:
"You win. You're the winner" - some random drunk man.
"You have something on your face" - several very astute onlookers.
"Is that a frog?" - another onlooker (it was early in the process, I get it, it didn't look like much)
"Oh my god, she's already done!" - a woman who saw it when it was maybe 1/4 of the way done.
"What is going on here?! Is this a concert? Does this happen all the time?" - a man who had just moved to the neighborhood and was looking around at everything with deep confusion and awe.
