Day Trips: Mural Alley, Alpine

photos by Gerald E. McLeod

Mural Alley in Alpine has grown to encompass just about the whole town. There are well over 40 of the outdoor wall paintings and the number keeps growing.

The oversized images range from the whimsical to the historic, with West Texas landscapes making up the majority. A number of the murals are in the alley between Holland Avenue and Avenue E west of Fifth Street. The art project began in the 1940s.

Painted by cowboy muralist Stylle Read and other artists adjacent to "Big Brewster," it depicts the traditional top of a Mexican calendar and is titled "Poco a Poquito."

West Texas in general and Alpine in particular have a history of enticing artists to the desert landscape. From 1932 to 1950, Sul Ross Normal College (now Sul Ross University) attracted artists to a summer Art Colony. The modern murals are commissioned by the Artwalk Alpine organization and cost between $35,000 and $50,000.

Perhaps the most famous mural in town is the Big Brewster or "Greetings From Alpine" mural at the corner of Holland Avenue and Fifth Street. It's a must-stop for taking selfies on return trips from Big Bend National Park.

Stylle Read painted Big Brewster. The 70-year-old artist has over 150 murals on walls across Texas and is responsible for more than 10 of the Mural Alley paintings, including the most recent addition to the outdoor gallery.

"Cruising Big Bend" is the distinctive art of local artist Tom Curry at the entrance to the Art Alley in the middle of the block between Holland Avenue and Avenue E.

The new mural, A Tribute to Texas Musicians on the side of a building on Fifth Street across the railroad tracks from downtown, mimics the cover of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album, depicting a congregation of Texas-born musicians from Blind Lemon Jefferson to Pantera.

While the art in nearby Marfa attracts the hipsters, the street art in Alpine appeals to the masses. It's fun, accessible, and free.

Mural Alley is scattered around Alpine, with destinations mostly within walking distance of one another. For a map, stop by the visitors center at 106 N. Third St., or go to visitalpinetx.com/attractions.

1,650th in a series. Everywhere is a day trip from somewhere: Follow “Day Trips & Beyond,” a travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/daily/travel.