Mural Love Submission: Christian Michael Gallegos

Growing up trekking back and forth between East Coast and the Southwest, Christian produces his work from the viewpoint of 35,000 feet. Balancing these experiences, he creates a colorfully exuberant mix of imagery from both worlds. His stylized motifs and palette have become a signature sustained throughout his body of work.

His preferred method of design stems from a dynamic trio of recycled paint, Shiva Oil paint sticks, and custom-sized canvases with inlayed frames specifically reinforced for each individual piece. Throughout his paintings, Christian presents new ideas, inspiration, and messages for his audience. Whether creating a sixteen-foot canvas or an intimate 12×12 miniature, Christian’s work invites you to travel with him peering down from above with a bird’s eye view of his world.

As a muralist Christian incorporates themes and motifs unique to the location in his unique colorful and dynamic compositions

The images attached are from the following projects.

St. John’s Thrift Store, Albuquerque, 2019
In 2019 Christian mentored students from the Media Arts Charter School as part their studio art internship. Christian and the students developed and painted this 6×48 foot mural painted in the parking lot behind St. John’s Thrift Store on Central Avenue. The students choose the motifs, which Christian incorporated into the overall design and then supervised the students who did the painting.

Empire Board Game Library, Albuquerque, 2018
In this mural colorful and playful game references are embedded within a matrix of Christian signature floral, heart, star, and hummingbird elements.
This mural is wrapped around the entire building. This was solo project in conjunction with MuralFest 2018.

River Otter Exhibit Mural, ABQ BioPark Aquarium, Albuquerque, 2018
This riverway mural featured more than 250 animals in a 250 foot-long mural. This was created it in collaboration with Story Lab Inc.

Emerson Elementary School, Albuquerque, 2017
Christian contributed this 25-foot section of unique floral elements to Melinda Forward’s Kindness Club International mural project.

Flowers on Gold Mural, Albuquerque, 2017
This mural was painted as part of 508 Warehouse’s Mural Fest 2017. The interlocking flowers and hearts were painted freehand during the festival and represent the creative garden of Albuquerque’s spirit. The mural is half a block long with the height varying from three-to-five-feet tall on the concrete block and steel mesh wall of the parking lot on the corner of 4th and Gold.

Fitness Room at Endorphin Power Company (EPC), Albuquerque, 2016-2017
This was commissioned by the EPC for their fitness facility. The entire wall was approximately 70 feet by 8 feet high, roughly divided into three areas separated by windows. The concept was first sketched on paper and the drawn freehand and painted on the wall with recycled house paint and represents the concepts of dedication to community, devotion to the body, and the challenge to heal.