The original "Silly Map" showcases the artist's signature playful approach, transforming a functional transit document into a whimsical visual experience. Through imaginative alterations, the map becomes both a work of art and a celebration of public transportation.

Silly Genius – Richmond

This striking graffiti work transforms a GRTC system map into a bold tribute to Richmond's street culture. The word "RICHMOND" dominates the composition in dramatic black-and-white lettering, its cascading paint drips creating a sense of motion and raw energy. Layers of colorful graffiti tags and bubble-letter forms emerge along the bottom edge, bringing the visual language of the city's streets directly onto the transit map.

By combining Richmond's transportation network with graffiti aesthetics, the piece highlights the connections between movement, community, and creative expression. The underlying map remains visible beneath the artwork, serving as a reminder that both public transit and public art help shape the city's identity, linking neighborhoods, people, and culture across Richmond.

Silly Genius – Legacy Bootleg Series

A vibrant explosion of layered graffiti tags, spray paint, and handwritten markings transforms the GRTC system map into a living record of Richmond's street-art culture. Built through overlapping colors, drips, and expressive linework, the piece captures the spontaneity and energy of graffiti while allowing the transit map to remain visible beneath the surface.

The work's dense accumulation of marks mirrors the interconnected routes of the city itself, with each layer adding another voice, path, or story. Splatters, signatures, and bold lettering create a sense of movement and improvisation, reflecting the creative spirit that emerges in shared public spaces. Simultaneously chaotic and carefully composed, Legacy Bootleg Series celebrates the relationship between urban art, public transit, and the communities that keep Richmond connected.

Silly Genius – Bus Boys

This energetic mixed-media work transforms a GRTC transit map into a bold celebration of movement, public transit, and street culture. Dominated by oversized graffiti-style lettering and a vivid pink bus racing across the composition, the piece captures the energy and personality that buses bring to Richmond's streets every day.

Layering colorful urban art over the city's transit routes, Bus Boys blurs the line between public infrastructure and public expression. The playful scale, bright colors, and dynamic composition evoke speed, connection, and the shared experience of moving through the city.

By reimagining the familiar bus map as a vibrant canvas, the work celebrates Richmond's transportation network as both a practical service and a vital part of the city's cultural landscape.

Music has always been one of my greatest sources of inspiration. I see hip hop and punk rock as two sides of the same coin—both born from communities whose voices have been ignored, overlooked, or pushed to the margins. Though they differ in sound, they share a common purpose: giving people a language to express frustration, resilience, and the desire for change.

In Minor Threat, I hand-cut paper phrases from two songs that approach the same idea from different perspectives. The central phrase, "We're just a minor threat," comes from the Washington, D.C. hardcore band Minor Threat. On the surface, it reads as a self-deprecating dismissal, but its true meaning is anything but passive. It challenges those in power to underestimate the people they overlook—suggesting that while attention is directed elsewhere, those deemed insignificant are organizing, creating, and ultimately transforming the status quo.

By bringing together lyrics from different musical traditions, this piece explores the shared spirit of resistance that exists across genres. It is a reminder that voices dismissed as "minor" often become the ones that leave the most lasting impact.

Noah Scalin is the creator of the Webby Award winning project Skull-A-Day and the collaborative science fiction universe & performance art project League of Space Pirates. He was the Grand Prize winner of Artfields 2022 and his collaboration with Old Navy was one of the most viewed commercials of 2020. Noah’s art has been exhibited internationally, including installations in Times Square, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Mütter Museum and solo exhibitions at La Luz de Jesus in LA & Krause Gallery in NYC. His work has been commissioned by the Martin Agency, Capital One, and Goodwill; and has been featured in dozens of publications including Fast Company, Hi-Fructose, Juxtapoz, USA Today, The Telegraph, and the New York Times. Noah is the author of six books, a sought after public speaker on creativity and was the inaugural Artfields festival artist-in-residence as well as the first artist-in-residence at Old Dominion University’s Strome College of Business and Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Business. He is also the founder of Another Limited Rebellion an art & innovation consulting firm which he co-runs with his sister.

Public Enemy

Public Enemy's declaration, "We've got to fight the powers that be," is a rallying cry that leaves little room for ambiguity. Decades after it was first recorded, the message remains just as urgent and relevant. It is a call to challenge systems that exclude, divide, or leave communities behind.

By layering these words over maps of the city where I grew up, I connect that message of resistance to the places and people who shaped me. The city map becomes more than a backdrop—it represents the neighborhoods, streets, and shared spaces where questions of equity and access play out every day.

Created in support of accessible and equitable public transportation in Richmond, this piece reflects the belief that fighting "the powers that be" isn't always about grand gestures. Sometimes it means advocating for systems that better serve everyone and recognizing public transit as an essential tool for connection, opportunity, and community.

Standing in the middle of Broad Street on First Friday in April, before it's too hot.

Medium/Media: Florescent Krylon, Acrylic Paint, GRTC Route Map, Gamvar.

Emily Herr is a Richmond-based muralist and visual artist working under the name HerrSuite. With over a decade of professional experience, she specializes in large-scale, context-driven murals characterized by vibrant imagery and narrative depth.

A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts, Herr has built a full-time practice creating custom murals for public, commercial, and residential clients across the United States and internationally. Her work spans from Bolivia to Kwajalein, reflecting a deep engagement with place, community, and visual storytelling.

Herr’s projects are often research-based, incorporating local histories, interviews, and archival material into intricate compositions. Recent works include a 4,500-square-foot mural in Richmond exploring the area’s industrial past, and a 2,500-square-foot mural in Roanoke interpreting the evolution of transportation through dynamic, figurative movement. Her approach emphasizes how people interact with space, using murals as immersive environments that connect past, present, and future.

@herrsuite

Nico Cathcart – Scuffle Town

Painted on an original GRTC system map, Scuffle Town is part of Cathcart's acclaimed Symbiotic Series, which explores the relationship between people and the natural world. A detailed skull crowned with Richmond's native dogwood, magnolia, and wisteria blooms emerges from the city's transit network, creating a striking visual connection between human history and the environment.

The skull features an engraving of Richmond's iconic CSX train bridge, grounding the work in the city's landscape and identity. Named after the beloved Richmond anthem by local punk band Avail, Scuffle Town celebrates the intersections of place, culture, and community. By combining botanical imagery with transportation infrastructure, the piece reflects the many connections—natural, cultural, and civic—that shape Richmond and the people who call it home.

Few & Far (MEME) – Love

Bursting with color and playful energy, Love transforms a GRTC system map into a vibrant celebration of connection and community. Bold graffiti-inspired lettering in bright yellow and pink floats across the map, surrounded by soft sprays of color, sparkling highlights, and whimsical floral elements.

The work draws on Richmond's identity as a city built on relationships and shared experiences, presenting love as a force that unites people across neighborhoods, backgrounds, and journeys. The underlying transit map remains visible beneath the artwork, reinforcing the idea that connection—whether through transportation, community, or compassion—is at the heart of a thriving city.

Through its joyful palette and street-art aesthetic, Love invites viewers to reflect on the simple yet powerful bonds that bring people together.

“VAMOS”

Which literally translates from Spanish to “ Let’s Go”
The artwork features a prominent illustration style portrait of Julio Vidal, one of GRTC’s first Spanish speaking Bus drivers. The portrait was taken from a photo series (created by Laura Browder) of the 2013 “Driving Richmond: Stories and Portraits of the GRTC Bus Drivers,” that was on view at the RVA Street Art Festival.
As a Latino artist I wanted to highlight the representation and contribution of Latinos in Richmond that is representative all over this country in a time where that is greatly taken for granted. I also wanted to emphasize the importance of that 2013 show that focused on the people who make the world move and aren’t necessarily recognized for the importance they play in everyone’s life.

I also incorporated several staple elements of graffiti writing with the Masterpiece “GRTC” letters, the throw up bubble letters with the “Vamos” word, and the other handstyle tags such as “Legendary,” “Julio Vidal’s” own name, and “Southside” - all as core aspects of an art culture that was born in the same landscape of unseen and underserved parts of the city that created and moved culture themselves against all odds - creating the greatest, most influential and dynamic art form ever made.

Writers and inspire the elements I include in my artwork as a written language that reclaims space and goes many steps beyond just defining our reality, but elevating it with love, style and passion.

Julio Vidal also started out as a bus driver in New Jersey, a pivotal city in the history of graffiti sitting in between the Epicenters of the art form from New York to Philadelphia, and even fostered growth with the shift to trains in the early 90s after New York subway graffiti was largely pushed out of existence. - Basta

@bastapaints

Basta is a Richmond-based multidisciplinary Latino artist who has been painting murals and graffiti since
2005. Deeply influenced by 1990s New York hip-hop culture, his work merges graffiti, pop culture, comics,
and sign painting into bold, accessible visual language.
In addition to commercial work, Basta is committed to uplifting communities through public art. Following
his experience as a cancer survivor, he founded SuperName, an initiative that creates empowering graffiti
murals for children facing serious illness.
His client portfolio includes collaborations with Chef José Andrés, the DC Public Library, New Balance, and
the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, among others. Through both independent and community driven
projects, Basta continues to use art as a tool for resilience, visibility, and connection.
@bastapaints
@supernameofficial

Ron Stokes is a Richmond-based multidisciplinary artist, curator, and founder of The Art Seen. A self-taught artist, his work blends abstraction, street art, and storytelling to explore culture, identity, and community through bold color and layered patterns. Beyond the canvas, Stokes creates opportunities for artists through exhibitions, public art, and creative programming, believing that art has the power to transform spaces and bring people together.

Painting Title: The World Is Yours

Painting Price: $600

Painting: The World Is Yours is a reminder that possibility begins with perspective. Standing atop the world, a young girl holds a heart-shaped balloon as a symbol of hope, compassion, and the power of leading with love.

The piece speaks to the limitless potential within each of us—that no dream is too big and no destination is out of reach when we move through the world with kindness, courage, and an open heart. The world doesn't simply belong to those who seek power; it belongs to those who choose to uplift, connect, and create.

This piece began with an unexpected opportunity. The map came into my hands on July 1 after a friend and studio mate was invited to paint two transit maps but only had time to complete one. The second map was passed along to me, and I discovered an unexpected connection: the bus routes depicted run through the neighborhoods surrounding both of our birth hospitals, weaving together places that have quietly shaped our lives.

As I painted, I found myself tracing familiar streets through Willow Lawn, Henrico, and Richmond, allowing the map to evolve into something beyond its original purpose. The process became less about following a plan and more about spending time with the landscape, letting the lines and routes guide the work in unexpected directions.

Public transit is an important part of Richmond's story, and I often find myself reminding people that our buses are free. Accessible public transportation connects neighborhoods, creates opportunities, and makes our city more welcoming to everyone. I hope this piece encourages viewers to see the transit map not only as a guide to getting from one place to another, but also as a reflection of the people, places, and shared experiences that connect our community.

Davi Leventhal is an interdisciplinary artist born in Rio de Janeiro and raised in New York City, currently based in Richmond, Virginia. Trained as a painter and draftsman, his work integrates the traditional Brazilian textile practice of fuxicos through his community-engaged initiative, The Fuxico Project.

Leventhal’s practice centers on storytelling, cultural preservation, and social engagement, using participatory art to foster connection and healing across communities in the United States and internationally.

His professional background spans installation, curation, conservation, and art handling, with experience at institutions and events including the Park Avenue Armory, MoMA, TEFAF, and Scope Miami.

He has exhibited widely, with projects and exhibitions at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, ABC No Rio, Culture Lab, and the Brazilian Consulate in New York, as well as galleries and institutions across Virginia and Brazil. In addition to his studio practice, Leventhal is an educator, collaborator, and organizer working at the intersection of art and civic engagement.

@davileventhal

@fuxicoproject

Davi Leventhal is an interdisciplinary artist born in Rio de Janeiro and raised in New York City, currently based in Richmond, Virginia. Trained as a painter and draftsman, his work integrates the traditional Brazilian textile practice of fuxicos through his community-engaged initiative, The Fuxico Project.

Leventhal’s practice centers on storytelling, cultural preservation, and social engagement, using participatory art to foster connection and healing across communities in the United States and internationally.

His professional background spans installation, curation, conservation, and art handling, with experience at institutions and events including the Park Avenue Armory, MoMA, TEFAF, and Scope Miami.

He has exhibited widely, with projects and exhibitions at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, ABC No Rio, Culture Lab, and the Brazilian Consulate in New York, as well as galleries and institutions across Virginia and Brazil. In addition to his studio practice, Leventhal is an educator, collaborator, and organizer working at the intersection of art and civic engagement.

@davileventhal

@fuxicoproject

This dynamic piece celebrates the intersection of public transit and street art, transforming a GRTC system map into a vibrant urban scene. A detailed Richmond bus anchors the composition while a graffiti artist adds a colorful mural to its side, blurring the line between transportation and public expression. The transit map remains visible throughout the background, reinforcing themes of movement, connection, and community.

Combining realism with graffiti-inspired design, the artwork highlights the creativity that thrives in public spaces and the role transit plays in bringing people, cultures, and ideas together across Richmond. The result is a bold tribute to the city's streets, its artists, and the shared journeys that connect them.

Connecting Progress

While developing Connecting Progress, I found myself thinking about the many times I’ve ridden the bus. Public transit is often viewed as a means of getting from one place to another, but for me it has also been a space for observation, reflection, and connection.

Waiting for the bus has a way of slowing life down. In those moments, I often pull out my sketchbook and draw what I see around me or whatever happens to be on my mind. Other riders come and go, and sometimes a simple conversation begins between strangers sharing the same space and destination. There is movement all around, yet there is also a quiet sense of peace. For a brief moment, the demands of the day pause, and the only thing left to do is wait.

This piece celebrates those small but meaningful experiences that happen along the journey. It reflects how public transit not only connects people to places, but also creates opportunities for observation, creativity, and community. In a world that often feels rushed, the bus stop can become a reminder to slow down, look around, and recognize the connections that exist between us.

Erek Jones, aka Stachesquatch, is a multi-media artist based out of Richmond, Virginia. Inspired by sci-fi narratives and rubber hose animation, Erek uses his colorful and wiggly style to depict magical scenes. His work can be found in the form of murals, can labels, t-shirts, digital illustrations, and occasionally, the broad side of a beverage delivery truck.

My website is Stachesquatchdesign.com and my instagram handle is @stachesquatchdesign

Hamilton Glass is a Richmond-based public artist and painter whose work focuses on community engagement and the transformative power of public art. His practice emphasizes creating spaces where communities feel ownership, connection, and representation through visual storytelling.

Originally trained as an architect, Glass brings a structural and design-driven approach to his murals, incorporating geometric forms, bold color, and dynamic compositions that interact with the built environment. His work often explores movement, rhythm, and energy, guiding the viewer’s experience through layered visual pathways.

Glass is a frequent collaborator with organizations focused on community development and outreach, using his work to promote equity and access to the arts. His murals and public projects are integral to Richmond’s cultural landscape, contributing to ongoing conversations around identity, place, and collective experience.

@hamglass

@mendingwallsrva

Chris Visions

This vibrant graffiti-inspired work transforms a GRTC transit map into a dynamic composition of color, movement, and urban energy. Bold interlocking letterforms in bright oranges, pinks, and blues rise from the map, creating a striking contrast against the transit routes visible beneath. Layers of spray paint, splashes of green, and intricate details give the piece a sense of rhythm and motion, echoing the constant flow of people and activity throughout the city.

By blending street art with Richmond's transportation network, the artwork celebrates creativity in public spaces and the connections that link neighborhoods, cultures, and communities. The result is a powerful visual expression of movement, transformation, and the vibrant spirit of urban life.

This striking work layers a majestic blue heron over a GRTC transit map, blending Richmond's natural landscape with the routes that connect its communities. Rendered in vibrant blues and crisp brushstrokes, the bird stands before a glowing orange circle that evokes both a setting sun and a transit hub, creating a sense of movement and place.

The transit map remains visible beneath the composition, linking the city's environment and infrastructure in a single image. By pairing one of Virginia's most recognizable wildlife species with Richmond's transportation network, the piece celebrates connection—between neighborhoods, waterways, people, and the natural world that surrounds them.