Lion's Dance by JUURI in #DTFW

When we learned acclaimed mural artist JUURI was scheduled to come grace Fort Wayne with her work, we were so excited. When we realized her mural would be located within view of our front door? Beyond!

Born in Tokyo, JUURI currently calls Oklahoma City home. Her mural work can be found in cities across the United States, with original artwork for sale on her own site, as well as prints available through a number of galleries. Her colorful work is inspired by traditional Japanese portraits of beautiful women as well as kabuki actors. Her 27' x 20' piece in Fort Wayne, titled Lion's Dance, is based on the kabuki play, "Kagamijshi", with "elements of her mural, inspired by Fort Wayne's Sister City, Takaoka, Japan", as stated on downtownfortwayne.com.

We were so honored to meet the artist, and even more so when we were able to work directly with her by exclusively offering a line drawing of Lion's Dance on select apparel for adults and children, in store now. Read our Q&A with artist below, then come shop our current selection of JUURI apparel, for adults and youth.

What does it mean to you to have such large, lasting works spread across the United States? I'm very honored to be able to share beauty all over the US. I make amazing friends everywhere I paint and am happy to leave a big gift for them.

How do you feel murals such as yours impact pride of place and/or tourism? When people come by to see the progress of the mural every day, they start to feel a sense of ownership, as if it's "their" mural. I love that. When people feel pride and ownership in something, the whole neighborhood improves. Murals naturally drive tourism because people love to see art in public and take selfies! I think murals outdoors are the "new" art museums.

We are so thrilled to be able to offer your work on apparel at The FIND. Have you previously licensed your images to boutiques? Yes, I do a bit of licensing in Australia. I love to contribute to homewares and clothing that small businesses can carry. I really enjoyed Fort Wayne (it's one of the loveliest places I've painted!) so was very happy that my mural design will be exclusively available at The Find.

What's next on your mural schedule, and how has the pandemic affected your work/schedule/plans? I'm working on my last commitment for the year, so after this I have zero plans! I love that part of the year... it's like a fresh start with endless possibilities. The pandemic has definitely shifted everything around. Many mural festivals are canceled or unsure of whether they will have a 2021 event. Financial strain on restaurants, one of my best clients, has taken some projects away. However, I'm learning to adapt to situations since we can never truly know the future. I choose to see it as exciting rather than depressing.

Tell us about your time in Fort Wayne this summer. I did not know what to expect, but really fell in love with the gorgeous downtown (I love tall buildings and downtown areas) and the kindness of everyone passing by. I've painted several murals in which people totally ignored the art, so it was lovely to have so many people excited about the piece!

Our most sincere thanks to JUURI for her gorgeous mural, and for her time working with us on the exclusive collaboration. And -- any post about JUURI would not be complete without giving a major shoutout to Art This Way, the volunteer organization responsible for adding so much vibrancy, interest and beauty to downtown Fort Wayne through their public art program. Art This Way provides opportunities for local as well as national and international artists to put their unique stamp on our city. Fort Wayne is so lucky to have such a dedicated group of art lovers, working hard to enhance our beautiful city. Thank you, friends.

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